Public Funding for Fraunhofer UK Research Limited

The EleGaNt project will develop high-power single-frequency stabilised 422 nm GaN laser diodes with applications in optical clocks, atom interferometer, quantum key distribution and as a reference source for nearby atomic transitions.

Our project, Nonlinear Upconversion Technique for Monitoring Environmental Gases (NUTMEG), will develop, construct and test a portable greenhouse-gas sensor for environmental monitoring applications. We will demonstrate a platform approach targeting CO2, Methane, NOx and Ammonia monitoring. Our innovative approach uses laser upconversion in nonlinear (PPLN) waveguides to access lines of increased absorption in the mid-infrared. This allows us to make use of single-photon detectors based on silicon technology for increased sensitivity. We will build on QLM's mature gas-sensing products to provide enhanced sensitivity. We aim for the demonstrator system to be briefcase-sized and operate at eye-safe power levels, comparing favourably with current truck-mounted alternatives. The system will be field tested with engaged end users. To enable this, Covesion will develop new optically packaged PPLN waveguides that push the boundaries of waveguide operation at mid-infrared wavelengths. Fraunhofer will provide testing and prototyping capabilities for enabling the improvement of the waveguide fabrication at novel wavelengths and performing sensitivity measurements.

High fidelity, modular and scalable receiver modules are recognised as the enabling technology for entangled based quantum key distribution, which is essential for distributed quantum computing and the transmission of quantum states in quantum internet. To address this need, the MARCONI project will develop and demonstrate two new OEM quantum key distribution receivers based on different technologies and interchangeable at the point of optical connection. They will be built with UK components: \*For smaller set-ups and short distance communications, a four channel single photon avalanche detector system using novel SPADs from Phlux, packaged by Bay Photonics \*For larger, long-distance applications, a unique 64 channel superconducting nanowire single photon detector system using enhanced SNSPDs from the University of Glasgow cooled by novel 1K system by Chase Cryogenics and coupled with a new compact 64-channel timetagger from Redwave Labs. Redwave Labs will optimise the control electronics and timetaggers for both systems, which will be coupled with Fraunhofer's optical receiver module. The University of Cambridge will demonstrate the receivers in entanglement based discrete variable-quantum key distribution transmission in both metro and long-haul networks. Secure keys will be generated using the BBM92 protocol. A Strategic Advisory Board of end-users and service providers will help direct the R&D and path to commercialisation.

In MIST (Mid-Infrared Free-Space Telecommunications), Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics will work with AVoptics, Covesion, and BAE systems to develop a mid-infrared (mid-IR) frequency-conversion module to convert telecoms wavelengths (C-band around 1550 nm) to and from the mid-infrared. Light in the mid-IR spectral region, with its longer wavelength, suffers significantly less scattering losses in foggy and dusty atmospheres - an issue which plagues free-space optical communication systems at shorter wavelengths. By converting conventional optical communication wavelengths to and from the mid-IR, the MIST module will harness the transmission benefits of the longer wavelength, while utilising standard telecommunication components, which are readily available at a high level of maturity and which are critical to achieving a high-performance link. MIST will demonstrate the advantages of the frequency-conversion system by directly comparing it to a standard C-band telecommunication system in fog-like conditions.

The lack of a circuit understanding of our brains is limiting development of treatments for disorders. This is underlined by the fact that there has not been a fundamentally new class of drugs for psychiatric disorders since the 1970s. Technology is now at a level of sophistication to address this challenge. Despite recent investments in brain interfacing, no technology exists to wirelessly transmit neural data at the required bandwidths. Our lightweight, high data rate, wireless approach is capable of transmitting over a 1000 times more neural information. This could revolutionize pharmaceutical approaches by observing drug interactions across brain structures at scale. Furthermore, the recent significant advances in neuroscience have piqued the interest of several large corporations who are investing substantial resources into creating high-bandwidth neural interfaces for various purposes. Web giants, such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft are tracking these new technologies carefully. Facebook is strongly involved in project of "typing-by-brain" as a silent speech interface and has recently invested $10 million in Blackrock Microsystems, while Microsoft is publishing patents on "mind control" that allow users to operate apps using their mind without gesture **(Yole Development)**. Research at the moment in this area predominantly focuses on the mouse model. A key barrier in the field is the lack of small low power devices that can satisfy wireless high data rate transmissions. NeuroVLC will provide the solution to this.

Quantum technologies are poised to revolutionize our society. At the core of this new scientific and technological revolution, there is entanglement one of the most peculiar phenomena in quantum physics. The ability to generate, manipulate and distribute entangled particles is a prerequisite to enable transformative scientific and industrial progress. This research project aims for the development of efficient sources of entangled photons, adapted to the current optical fiber infrastructure. It will concentrate on four main aspects related to 1) the design and simulation of new integrated photonics structure in collaboration with Quantopticon. In this case, Finite-Difference Time-Domain methods will be used to simulate micro-ring resonators made of high nonlinear materials and improve the integrated structures design to optimize third order nonlinearity processes and thus the efficient generation of entangled photons pairs. The innovation stands in the use of Quantopticon software 2) Microfabrication of integrated photonic structures and packaging in collaboration with UK Fraunhofer and Bay Photonics. The innovation stands in the use of new recipes to minimize optical losses in the considered material and at the coupling interface between optical fiber and integrated chip; 3) Implementation, packaging and testing of integrated components in the quantum domain by Ki3 Photonics. Optical chips will be tested in the quantum domain and integrated with efficient control electronics for the generation of pairs of entangled photons. The innovation stands in the optical scheme used to generate photon pairs which are distributed over an optical frequency comb i.e. light sources with a broad spectrum of evenly-spaced frequency modes; 4) Implementation of new quantum multiparty computing protocols adapted to the developed source of photons, using frequency and time degrees of freedom in collaboration with Galaxy Innovation. This activity will lead to the implementation of the packaged entangled photon source in a communication network with the aim to demonstrate the advantage of quantum-secure multiparty computation.

The Qurrode project will develop a compact, portable optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) quantum sensor capable of detecting corrosion through insulting materials such as concrete, thermal insulation or metal layers. The detection of corrosion under insulation is aligned to areas of interest for the UK government such as monitoring of infrastructure.

The Qurrode project will develop a compact, portable optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) quantum sensor capable of detecting corrosion through insulting materials such as concrete, thermal insulation or metal layers. The detection of corrosion under insulation is aligned to areas of interest for the UK government such as monitoring of infrastructure.

Micro-LED HAPS aims to demonstrate an innovative optical communications system designed for deployment on high-altitude pseudo satellites (HAPS). Our approach exploits the unique capabilities of micro light-emitting diode (micro-LED) sources paired with single photon detectors. The compact nature of these integrated optical components and their low power consumption, make them well suited for the development of transceiver modules compatible with the tight size, weight, and power constraints of HAPS. Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (Fh-CAP), shall lead the project, which builds upon the world-leading expertise of the Institute of Photonics at the University of Strathclyde (IOP), who have pioneered the development of micro-LEDs over two decades. Together with TAO Tech UK, Wideblue, A2E, and Kubos Semiconductor, they will advance the commercialisation of these devices, for the increasingly important optical communications market. The main objective for the project will be to demonstrate an optical communications link in a representative environment to de-risk future high altitude testing. The innovation here is the use of bespoke micro-LED arrays paired with single-photon detectors to enable low power and lightweight data links to be demonstrated. These data links can provide the vital command and control signals between HAPS platforms and between HAPS to the ground. By thus expanding the communications capabilities of HAPS, we will enhance their utility for rapid deployment in various scenarios, such as Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) or Maritime Security missions, and more generally providing communications in remote locations poorly served by fixed infrastructure.

TransmissION takes an innovative approach to meeting the critical need for integrated photonics required to scale up trapped-ion quantum computing. It is led by Oxford Ionics, experts in high performance quantum computing, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics who have expertise in the development of photonic systems. Quantum computing, an area of heated and ongoing global competition, will revolutionise industries ranging from drug discovery to finance with market values in the hundreds of billions. As one of the favourable universal quantum computing platforms, trapped-ion quantum computing also needs to overcome the barriers to scaling before fully tapping into these huge markets. Current state-of-the-art systems are built with bulk-optics, which are not scalable, not to mention difficult to align and unstable. Therefore, a truly scalable integrated photonic chip is needed to replace the current bulky optics used in trapped ion quantum computing. TransnissION will study the feasibility of this new type of photonic chip aimed at addressing all of the requirements for integration and scalability in trapped-ion systems. As a project that has the potential to drastically advance the current state-of-the-art in trapped-ion quantum computing and beyond, TramsmissION is in the scope of the call and also well aligns with the heart of UK's national effort in quantum computing.

Cold atom-based quantum technologies have great potential because of the versatility of this platform. Cold atoms can be used in a variety of high-performance sensors, including optical clocks, inertial sensors, gravimeters, and magnetometers just to name a few. They rely on stable lasers with stringent requirements on their optical frequency. Recently, these quantum sensors began to be used in the harsh and dynamic environment of space, where inherent stability, reliability, size, weight and low power consumption are critical in determining the success of a mission, even more so than in terrestrial applications. In the PASTEL project we propose to develop and test a completely novel laser architecture that will improve on all the critical performance parameters indicated above over any competing laser technology. This new laser will be passively stabilised to an atomic reference within the laser itself. Our innovative approach eliminates the need for external frequency references and active feedback electronics. This development reduces the size and weight of both the laser module and associated electronics and lowers power consumption, while also improving stability and reliability since the laser cannot lose lock to a reference. We will exploit mature, power-efficient 780 nm diode laser technology, industry-leading miniaturisation and packaging capability, and compact, stable bespoke electronics. We will deliver a fully tested demonstrator laser unit.

Cold atom-based quantum sensors and clocks will revolutionise many applications such as Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technologies by increasing the resilience against attacks/outages and improving Space Situational Awareness (SSA) -- critical to protecting and future-proofing national security, financial and technological infrastructure and capabilities. Commercial uptake, market penetration and commercialisation of next-generation quantum systems is currently limited by the lack of robust, reliable and low size, weight and power consumption (SWaP) lasers and laser systems that lie at the heart of quantum technologies. TALENT brings together a consortium of UK companies to develop innovative robust, reliable and low-SWaP lasers to enable the deployment of quantum technologies in harsh and dynamic environments - opening new markets and opportunities. TALENT will produce lasers with an unprecedented combination of performance, reliability, SWaP and ease of integration to break the barriers to commercialisation of next-generation PNT. The consortium's expertise in laser development, miniaturisation and precision alignment will ensure reliability and SWaP are improved to market-readiness. New, substantial commercial opportunities have been identified that require reliable and robust operation in quantum sensing and clocks for next-generation quantum-enhanced PNT and SSA technologies.

This is a feasibility project concerned with developing the next generation GaN laser sources for quantum applications. The GaN laser devices will be co-packaged with passive waveguide structures to provide single frequency operation or other functionality such as wavelength referencing ands locking. The consortium consists of Kelvin Nanotechnology, TGQT, Alter, University of Glasgow and Fraunhofer-CAP.

Reducing human contributions to global warming and the journey to net-zero is a major problem for society to tackle. Technology developments will be a large part of the process to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The simplest way to reduce is emissions is to reduce gas leaks, requiring very sensitive leak detection equipment. Natural gas (largely consisting of methane) is becoming the dominant fossil fuel due to the reduced carbon dioxide emissions. However, industrial leaks are a major source of Greenhouse gases (GHGs). After COP26, industry and legislation attention is shifting towards reducing methane emissions. Traditional sensitive equipment can be bulky and labour intensive to operate. There is a need for wide-spread continuous monitoring equipment for detection of methane and other GHGs. QLM has pioneered deployment of quantum technology, in the form of an infrared LiDAR camera to image, locate and quantify GHGs. However, this is just the first step along the way and improvements in sensitivity of detection can be used to extend the range of operation, or speed of detection. This project collaboration between QLM, Fraunhofer, Covesion and the University of Bristol provides an innovative approach to solve this problem, by generating scattering at longer wavelengths, then using quantum up-conversion of photons to shorter wavelength for detection on low-noise, efficient visible wavelength detectors with single-photon sensitivity. This requires development of upconversion technology by Covesion, to work at longer wavelengths than currently demonstrated, but that are theoretically viable. Initial work will prove the concept at wavelengths that are known to be feasible and will offer increased detection efficiency. This technology will open up the possibility of detecting more varied gas species with high sensitivity in a wavelength region where there are limited solutions.

MANGROVE will develop novel integrated-photonic circuits that could be incorporated into ORCA's products and unlock significant new opportunities in the quantum research, computing, communications and imaging markets.

Quantum Computers have the potential to offer a huge range of benefits. By increasing processing power exponentially, they will unlock new, exciting capabilities and improve our current capacity considerably. This does however put at risk technologies which have long relied on computational expense for their function. An example of this is encryption, which keeps data secure via the use of asymmetrical mathematical problems which are beyond the capability of most classical computers. These problems will, however, be easily solvable by quantum computers, creating a problem referred to as the "Quantum Apocalypse". There are currently two front-runner technologies to keep data secure in a post-quantum world. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) aims to provide mathematical challenges which a quantum computer will not be able to solve, as a new iteration of current methodologies. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) offers a novel method for distributing keys which enables robust symmetrical encryption techniques, with the key transfer mechanism being protected by fundamental laws of physics, as opposed to mathematical complexity. Both are receiving significant focus and investment, with the most likely outcome being hybrid solutions incorporating the benefit of each. To support the roll out of these new technologies, space has emerged as a critical component in networks for quantum security. Satellites offer the ability to distribute information globally, and also allow for free-space optical transfer, which isn't limited by distance in the same way as terrestrial fibre networks. The Chinese Micius satellite demonstrated a number of fundamental technologies in 2016, which has led to a race to match this achievement in other countries. As such a number of satellite missions orientated towards quantum security are in development, predominantly focusing on cost effective small- or nanosatellites. Within this landscape a consortium featuring Craft Prospect, Alter Technologies and Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics has formed to develop the next generation of products for space-based quantum security. NextSTEPS will look to build a benchtop demonstrator of an entangled photon source. The benefits of this type of unit are increased security and future relevance, due to the need for the creation of networks of quantum computers. The work will also consider the requirements of the unit for use in space, and in particular for low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) satellite platforms such as nanosatellites. Through the project the team will create enabling technologies for future quantum computing networks while also defining near-term entangled-source QKD products.

A wide range of emerging quantum technologies including communication, photonic computing, microscopy and sensing all require a high-quality source of quantum light in order to succeed. Aegiq's goal for this project is to develop a complete field-ready, turn-key solution that can easily be incorporated into a commercial setting. We will achieve this by leveraging our leading-edge indistinguishable single-photon sources, by driving them at GHz rates with a novel ultrafast laser, developed by Fraunhofer CAP. Our deterministic source technology means this high-purity single-photon output rate will by far surpass rates that are currently limited by the performance of commercially available lasers. This will make our system ideal for high-speed quantum key distribution and quantum information processing, as well as being a brighter source for imaging or sensing applications. We aim to break down several barriers to adopting quantum technology, namely the performance and cost so that Aegiq products will be used to shape the future technology market.

High resolution 3D maps are required for an increasing number of key subsea applications from installation and operation of offshore wind energy, asset decommissioning, environmental monitoring, and defence. Quantum photonic detection technologies can offer a step change in the resolution, accuracy, coverage, and speed of generation of these maps compared to existing acoustic or traditional imaging solutions. The approach proposed in this project differs from other techniques, as it relies on state-of-the-art single‑photon detection technologies, which allow for three-dimensional imaging with extremely low light level return, typically less than one photon per pixel (in the so-called "sparse-photon" regime) - that corresponds to high underwater attenuation. Single-photon detection is a quantum technology which has recently been exploited for light detection and ranging (LiDAR) applications. This project exploits recent advances funded under the UK National Quantum Technology Programme in underwater single-photon LiDAR measurements and CMOS silicon single‑photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector array development. One major advantage for underwater imaging; it is in the ideal spectral region for CMOS based SPAD detectors, which have made significant recent advances. This project is led by the marine industry, addressing current industry requirements and will utilise bespoke CMOS SPAD arrays and laser sources for subsea terrain mapping. It is expected that the project will lead to other underwater applications - this project will act as a pathfinder to more widespread deployment of single-photon imaging in the UK subsea industry. This project brings together key industrial and academic institutions with world-class backgrounds to collaboratively develop a commercially viable subsea mapping system based on the time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) imaging technique. The key objective is to deliver a complete mapping system based on novel 2D spatial single‑photon array detector technology, which can be deployed to a subsea vehicle and robustly generate 3D maps at high altitude above the sea floor.

bp is aiming to be a very different company by 2030, and our ambition is to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner and to help the world get to net zero. A key component of becoming an integrated energy company surrounds low carbon electricity and energy, and within that, creating a distinct position in hydrogen, including aiming for a 10% market share in core markets. The **HYDRI** project, led by bp, aims to develop stand-off gas sensing devices critical to the safe roll-out of hydrogen as a widely used energy source in domestic, industrial, and transportation sectors. It harnesses the UK's world-leading expertise in single-photon detector arrays and quantum-sensor technology products. The HYDRI consortium comprises internationally recognised UK organisations at the forefront of the innovative and high technology sectors they serve, who are extremely well placed to deliver the state-of-the-art modules required for these devices. The consortium is led by a globally recognised end-user of the technology who will steer the performance of the project and carry out extensive testing in a range of high-value application scenarios. Finally, the project benefits from the expertise of the UK's leading academic and research technology organisation, who are performing critical system modelling, design, and integration activities throughout this exciting project.

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) facilitates the secure sharing of encryption keys using quantum technology. These keys can encrypt data for transmission over conventional fibre links across any distance, but QKD itself is limited over fibre to around 150km with current technology. Beyond this, 'trusted nodes' are required, but at major risk of creating security vulnerabilities. A number of dark fibre QKD networks are being built, including in the UK, but all are subject to this constraint. QKD through free space is less sensitive to distance. Thus, satellites provide the means for distributing keys across very large distances between end users spread across countries or continents - they are a facilitator of global QKD networks. Satellite components in QKD networks are being planned or researched in a number of countries. A consortium led by Arqit aims to establish the world's first commercial QKD satellite constellation. The first satellite is being built under contract with the European Space Agency, with further satellite already being developed. This project aims to overcome important barriers to the adoption of QKD based infrastructure and services by government customers that will need accreditation. We will establish sector specific demonstrators of the service prior to satellite launch to support live end to end demonstrations, enabling customer integration to accelerate adoption; develop QKD optimised detectors to enhance performance of optical ground receivers whilst reducing cost; address operational security by performing practical side channel attacks on key elements of the system; and develop satellite specific QKD standards, supported by generating portable test equipment to support interoperability testing with other satellite QKD systems.

Cold atom based quantum technologies have great potential because of the versatility of this platform. Cold atoms can be used in optical clocks, inertial sensors, gravimeters, and magnetometers just to name a few. They rely on stable and agile lasers with stringent requirements on their optical frequency. Current commercially available lasers are bulky, expensive and struggle to meet these requirements without significant development effort from the user. This limits many quantum technologies to the laboratory. To address these challenges, the Dual-FISH project will develop a versatile, compact and easy-to-use laser solution for cold atom systems, particularly commercial atom clocks. In this project the consortium will produce a single device that provides both optical frequencies (the so-called "cooling" and "repump") required for the operation of cold atom traps in a single optical fibre. We will exploit mature, efficient 780 nm diode laser technology and combine advanced spectroscopy and offset locking schemes with mature packaging capability and compact, powerful bespoke electronics. This innovative approach will allow us to produce a complete laser system that is small (approximately 120x80x50 mm) and ready to use by system integrators intending to commercialise quantum technologies based on cold atom technology, while providing agile laser light without any need for third-party stabilisation hardware.

Quantum information processing (QIP) will revolutionise many industries with applications ranging from drug discovery to supply chain management. However, QIP faces a technological challenge in scalability. To secure quantum advantage and a fault-tolerant general purpose quantum computer many high-fidelity qubits and sources must be controlled. UpScale brings together four commercial partners and two research organisations to address this challenge. By using a scalable integrated photonic routing and addressing platform, different QIP architectures of trapped-ions and semiconductor photon sources will be supported. The integrated photonic platform leverages decades of development in telecommunications systems and semiconductor manufacturing and is compatible with cryogenic temperature operation and multiple independent qubit systems. UpScale will develop and deploy two major and innovative integrated photonic technologies: a silicon nitride (SiN) photonic integrated chip platform and cryogenic-compatible photonic coupling and packaging. The focus of UpScale is delivery of high-TRL scalable demonstrators rather than fundamental research. It will build on several recently published results and use photonic foundry services to provide a reliable supply chain and solve technical challenges associated with scalability at the pace required for commercialisation. The project is designed to maximise return on investment by developing technological solutions for scaling of QIP systems, for the benefit of multiple commercial partners. Additional routes to market include the commercialisation of photonic systems and cryogenic packaging services.

Quantum Technologies are set to transform the technology landscape and change the way we fundamentally navigate, compute, communicate and secure vast quantities of data that is the backbone of modern society. However, due to their complexity and lack of robustness, the technologies at the heart of this potential revolution are currently, largely shackled to sophisticated laboratories. The BlueFLAME project will build on previous highly successful work from this consortium and will develop a reliable commercial solution for the cooling of calcium ions, a key technological milestone in next generation, out-of-the-lab quantum systems. This will be achieved by addressing the challenges associated with the handling, packaging, and reliability of novel GaN semiconductor materials. This demonstration represents a key step in meeting the demands of important systems covering the whole GaN-enabled spectrum (365-550nm) which in turn will unlock further atomic transitions and utile atom and ion-based systems. Only through palm-sized and more compact laser systems, will the true potential of quantum technologies be commercially realised.

The goal of this project is to develop a source of time/frequency-entangled photon pairs suitable for multipurpose quantum communications in daylight conditions the context of next generation wireless communications. The large background noise due to solar radiation limits satellite-to-ground and, in general, free-space entanglement distribution to night operation, strongly reducing the time of operation of quantum communications links. In this project, we propose to investigate integrated narrow-linewidth sources of entangled photons. The project will also explore the opportunities from flying the source on future Arqit satellites to validate it for future Quantum Communications networks and for entanglement distribution experiments with international partners for a variety of applications in the context of the future Quantum Internet.

The goal of this project is to explore the feasibility of a satellite-based quantum secure time transfer service. Existing time dissemination services are vulnerable to spoofing or jamming, are unable to serve hard-to-reach locations and provide limited timing accuracy. By utilising quantum secure transfer, a new service can be implemented which is unbreakable, capable of global coverage as well as offering an order of magnitude improvement in timing accuracy.

The UK-India Distributed Sensing Network will bring together research institutes in the UK and India specialising in optical sensing and foundation industrial processes respectively. Fraunhofer UK Research Ltd will bring their expertise in multi-functional fibre optic sensing to process monitoring in the foundation industries. Establishing links between industry and academia and across disciplines, this network will seek to generate a critical mass of expertise centred around optical sensing in harsh environments that will benefit multiple foundation industries.

The HiREP project aims to develop a high-rate polarisation-entangled photon-pair source based on a new nonlinear optical crystal platform recently developed by Covesion Ltd.

The 369GaN project develops a 369nm GaN laser diode for Yb+ atomic clocks.

Mining operations for mineralogical extraction underpins almost every aspect of the global economy. Product manufacture, and the services which depend upon them, would not exist without these raw materials. Despite a global shift towards sustainability, the carbon footprint associated with mining and, particularly, onward material processing accounts for a significant proportion og global emissions. For example, crushing of rocks into a fine powder suitable for onward chemical ore extraction accounts for an enormous 8% of global energy consumption. The economics and processes associated with such processing preclude real-time measurement of the mineralogical content of rocks extracted from the earth, and so a very large amount of energy is needlessly consumed in processing rock of little mineralogical or commercial value. We propose an in-line state-of-the art sensor system which would give plant operators access to mineralogical content information with unprecedented speed and accuracy, Such technology would allow uneconomic spoil to be rejected early on in the processing cycle, thus conferring significant efficiency improvements on plant operators and enormous reductions in CO2 emissions associated with this industry.

QT Assemble brings together a consortium of UK companies to develop highly-innovative assembly and integration processes for new markets in quantum technologies. Waveguide writing, nanoscale alignment and monolithic integration will be used to deliver new levels of performance in robust and reliable platforms. High-performance components and systems will be demonstrated including highly-integrated lases, photon sources, photon detectors and ultra-cold matter systems. New commercial opportunities have been identified that require reliable and robust operation in quantum sensing and quantum information processing markets.

Navigation using space-based satellite signals underlies many critical technologies across the UK. Most advanced navigation technologies rely on the signals from networks known as the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to remain accurate over long distances. Loss of these signals result in an unstable navigation systems and increasingly less accurate location and direction estimation during operation. GNSS signals may be lost accidentally from criminal activity or due to military action. For example, in 2018 several passenger flights off the Norwegian coast lost GNSS signals due to signal 'jamming' from military exercises. In addition, 'Spoofing' or deliberately transmitting false guidance signals has been demonstrated as an insidious cyberweapon that can deliberately mislead and fool cargo or passenger vessels. As systems are increasingly automated, the consequences of the loss of GNSS signals dramatically increase and may include loss of property, or in the extreme case, loss of life. Local on-board instruments can provide measurements to stabilise current navigation system technology without GNSS signals. Quantum technology-based sensors have the potential to provide stability to navigation systems over long periods of time due to the unique combination of high sensitivity to motion with superb isolation from changes in the surrounding environment. High-BIAS2 will demonstrate the ability of a quantum rotation sensor's ability to stabilise the orientation of aircraft guidance system in the absence of GNSS signals. Local stabilisation using quantum technology will decrease the reliance of navigation systems on GNSS and provides a measure of protection against signal loss, jamming, and spoofing to increase safety and security.

AirQKD establishes a UK ecosystem, from single-photon components to networked quantum systems, to protect short to mid-range communication in free space. In particular we carry out pilot demonstrations of the enabling infrastructure for quantum-secure 5G and autonomous and connected vehicles.

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) facilitates the secure sharing of encryption keys using quantum technology. These keys can encrypt data for transmission over conventional fibre links across any distance, but QKD itself is limited over fibre to around 150km. Beyond this, 'trusted nodes' are required, but at major risk of creating security vulnerabilities. A number of fibre QKD networks are being built, including in the UK, but all are subject to this constraint. QKD through free space is less sensitive to distance. Thus, satellites provide the means for distributing keys across very large distances between end users spread across countries or continents - they are a facilitator of global QKD networks. Satellite components in QKD networks are being planned or researched in a number of countries. A consortium led by Arqit aims to establish the world's first commercial QKD satellite constellation. The first satellite is being build under contract with the European Space Agency, with a quantum payload being manufactured by European partners. There is an opportunity for the UK quantum technology industry to leapfrog other countries by creating a capability to manufacture the next generation of space QKD payloads here in the UK. The "Quantum Payload Factory" project will work with organisations across the UK to progress the state of the art of promising quantum communications technologies, understand their potential to enhance the performance of Arqit's global QKD system, validate their capabilities and technology readiness, engineer them to become "space ready" and develop an enhanced performance payload design that brings these new UK technologies into the second generation of Arqit satellites.

The Sidewinder project develops a component targeted for quantum technology systems integrators looking for a component to replace multiple lasers and control equipment, which can be included in a system with a minimum of complication. It will result in a component that outputs dual frequencies with narrow linewidth, intrinsically stable in respect to each other, for control of atomic states, e.g. cooling & repump, without additional sources. The electronics control system will be capable of driving all aspects the novel laser and in addition will be useful for a range of laser laboratory quantum technology experiments. The component will be fundamentally simple to integrate and operate by a non-academic user.

Quantum technologies are set to transform the way we measure the world around us, how we navigate and communicate, and how we process vast amounts of data. At the core of many quantum technology systems currently trapped in laboratories around the world are lasers with extremely stringent requirements on their wavelength, stability and linewidth. Current commercially available lasers are bulky, expensive and struggle to meet these requirements without significant development effort from the user. To address these challenges, the TuNaFISH project will develop a versatile, compact, narrow-linewidth laser module capable of meeting the requirements for any laser that will be used in a commercial atom interferometer. In this project the consortium will combine advanced spectroscopy and laser locking schemes with mature packaging capability. This innovative approach will allow us to produce a laser module that is small (approximately 60x40x20 mm) and simple to use by system integrators intending to commercialise quantum technologies based on cold atom interferometry, while providing highly tuneable narrow-linewidth laser light without the need for any bulky third party hardware.

Quantum Technologies are set to transform the technology landscape and change the way we fundamentally navigate, compute, communicate and secure vast quantities of data that is the backbone of modern society. However, the technologies at the heart of this potential revolution are currently, largely shackled to sophisticated laboratories. The Streamline project will build on highly-successful work from this consortium and will develop a reliable commercial solution for the cooling of strontium ions by addressing the challenges associated with the handling and packaging of novel GaN semiconductor materials. This demonstration represents a key step in meeting the demands of important systems covering the whole GaN-enabled spectrum (365-550nm). Testing the final solution on its capability of cooling strontium ions will now be performed outside the timescales of this project, in a follow-up project by the National Physical Laboratory; "Measurement for Quantum". Despite this, all the parameters outlined at the start of the project can still be measured in house by FCAP with an increase in staff time, due to the more thorough than planned testing required by locking to rubidium features to investigate offset-locking and/or frequency-shifting techniques and using power spectral density linewidth analysis techniques on top of the originally planned beat-note measurements. Rubidium is made up of numerous atomic hyperfine transitions and by exploiting the 5 S 1/2 to 6 P 3/2 transition (~420nm) we are close enough to allow offset-locking to be achieved with standard modulators. This approach allows us to use easily sourceable rubidium gas vapour cells rather than using subcontract work to have access to Strontium and still allows the partners to deliver a fully characterised device by the end of the project duration.

A new generation of THz imagers has been developed by Durham University using Quantum Technology. This high speed, sensitive, safe, non-ionising, imaging system is based on the concept of transforming low energy THz radiation to visible light, which can then be easily imaged using any well-established imaging technology.This breakthrough technological advancement has substantial potential in providing radical new solutions to real and current challenges in industry, specifically where current techniques are limited by material discrimination and throughput.

ColdQuanta, Optocap, and Fraunhofer CAP will develop a commercially-available complete high-flux cold atom source system with uniquely low size and cost. The high flux cold atom source is a complex and critical element of cold matter systems used in a variety of applications such as gravity surveying, atomic clocks, magnetic and electric sensors, navigation, and quantum information systems. The lack of a commercial complete source system at a moderate size and price point is a fundamental barrier to the expansion of atomic quantum technology into deployed applications. The small size and low cost of our approach turns the entire source system into a module that can be easily added to, or removed from, a more complex system in a modular manner. This simplifies research and development, aids in system integration, and eases maintenance.

The Mid-IR Upconversion Single-photon detection (MIRUS) project will develop a mid-infrared single-photon detection system using a novel upconversion scheme. This single-photon detector will make use of Covesion's PPLN waveguide technology and will offer the ability to detect single photons in the 3-5um spectral region.

This project seeks to reduce the costs of offshore wind by targeting the wind monitoring infrastructure used at multiple stages of wind energy projects. By developing a factory adaptable laser wind sensor design the costs of such remote sensor systems can be reduced - by using a modular approach to the subsystem design, maintenance and down time costs can be reduced. The outputs from this project will include field demonstrators of different wind profilers set up for different applications. These wind profilers are based on LIDAR - (LIght Detection And Ranging) and the project brings together wind LIDAR developers, optical product designers, ruggedised optical instrumentation engineers as well as the wind industry end user. The project will make use of wind energy test sites in the UK and also in Germany - where a parallel project - looking at wind LIDAR vertical profiling and validation methods is being set up.

To meet the demands of a growing population, and to minimise the environmental cost of farming, there is an urgent and profound need to maximise the efficiency of crop production. Vertical farming, where crops are grown hydroponically indoors under artificial lighting and under precisely controlled environmental conditions, is a method of crop production that promises to be many hundreds of times more productive than traditional farming, and with less of an environmental impact. However, vertical farming today is nowhere near as efficient or productive as it could be, or as it needs to be. Because of this, most vertical farms are unprofitable, and often require more energy than traditional farming to produce the same amount of food. One reason vertical farms are inefficient is that plant growth conditions, including light spectrum, temperature, and nutrition, have not been optimised for every crop. Finding the right plant growth conditions could mean increasing the yield of a crop by 15%, which in some crops could translate to a doubling of profit margins. Because light spectrum, temperature, and nutrition affect plant biochemical processes as well has plant yield, the right plant growth conditions for a medicinal plant grown in a vertical farm could mean the difference between a viable medicine and a wasted crop cycle. Our solution to the problem of weak productivity and profitability in vertical farming is AGROVerSe, the Advanced Growth Chamber for Rapid Optimisation of Vertical Farming Systems. AGROVerSe is a system that lets vertical farmers and agronomists carry out large-scale, multi-chamber, multivariable experiments in order to identify plant growth conditions for maximum crop quality and yield. AGROVerSe is a small, stackable, climate-controlled chamber that carries a number of innovative technologies. AGROVerSe has an advanced hyperspectral imaging system to continuously collect data on plant growth and development. It has a spectrum-tuneable LED lighting system, so that the effects of different light spectra on plant quality and yield can be examined. The chamber has a digitally-controlled hydroponics system, so that precise nutrient dosing can be carried out. Finally, an array of sensors continuously measures and feeds back to a novel HVAC system that precisely regulates temperature and humidity throughout the crop cycle. All of these components are connected together and controlled through a web-based platform, which collects and analyses data, and provides the user with plant growth conditions predicted to maximise crop quality and yield.

"It is proposed that the construction industry may be made more efficient and also more safe when crane operations are scheduled to stop and start according to accurate wind measurements from new laser based wind LIDAR devices designed for cranes. Wind LIDAR is a remote wind profiling technique that measures the laser backscatter from airborne particles to obtain line of sight wind speed. Intersecting beam LIDAR uses three lasers trained onto one point and obtains the true 3D wind vector. Time is money. However, cranes are depending on rudimentary anemometers which give no look ahead advance warning and they also give no indication of the variation of the wind field across large crane structures. Meanwhile coarse wind conditions forecasting is employed to enable scheduling on a day-ahead and hours ahead basis but this forecasting is subject to wind speed estimation uncertainty. By designing new LIDAR systems for the construction industry these difficulties can be overcome. The project will confirm the technical and economic feasibility of applying converging beam LIDAR to the construction industry and crane applications in particular. The project partners are already working together for commercialising converging beam LIDAR products and processes for the wind industry planning and operation (but not including wind farm construction) and it is envisaged that the knowledge gained can be re-applied in new ways for other commercial applications for the construction industry. The team have designed, built and tested beam steering LIDARs for the wind industry. They have also engaged with the wind industry previously. This provides relevant skills and experience for engaging with the construction industry and designing LIDAR products for use in the construction industry. The feasibility study will include detailed assessment of the market sizes of various construction sub-sectors such as offshore wind farm construction, onshore wind farm construction, skyscraper construction, bridge construction and other sub-sectors. The route to market can be through direct high value manufacturing, or through technology licensing. In addition to the improvement in crane operations and efficient definition of operational weather windows there are significant benefits to improve safety for workers and the public. Up to around a quarter of crane accidents can be directly attributed to extreme wind whilst problems due to non-wind faults are often exacerbated by the wind. The main problem is that forecasts and existing devices do not accurately warn of extreme gusts or sudden changes. Converging beam LIDAR can do much better."

"Despite our increasing ability to detect and monitor objects that exist on land, sea, around buildings or in space, our ability to detect objects beneath the ground has not improved significantly. When it comes to attempting to locate a buried and forgotten pipe, telling the extent of a sink hole or assessing the quality of infrastructure we still often resort to digging or drilling holes. This presents a huge economic and societal cost as road networks are dug up, oil wells are dry or brown-field land is left undeveloped. Existing techniques are all fundamentally limited in either their sensitivity (classical microgravity), their penetration (Ground Penetrating Radar) or their cost (seismic). For over 30 years, universities and academics have been exploiting the strange effects of quantum superposition to measure gravity with astonishing sensitivity. Using a process called cold-atom interferometry, the wave-partial duality of a rubidium atom is compared to the phase of a laser beam in a way which can detect very small changes in the way atoms fall freely in a vacuum. Changes in this free-fall can be used to determine the local strength of gravity and if this measurement is sensitive enough, the measurement can be used to tell whether there are voids, pipes, tunnels, oil and gas reserves in the ground beneath your feet. Although the potential is there, there are huge scientific and engineering challenges to delivering this performance. This project is proposed by the UK consortium of the best scientific and engineering companies the UK has to offer. Working with leading UK universities, these companies are looking to overcome these challenges, and develop a new industry of 'quantum' cold-atom sensors in the UK. If these advanced performances can be demonstrated, the economic and societal benefit of this new 'quantum' industry in the UK is expected to be significant and long-lasting."

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a well understood application of quantum technology and there are several metropolitan fibre networks already established for QKD services. However, key distribution is limited by absorption inside optical fibres which mean that transmissions over distances greater than about 150 km are impractical. Free space communications, though, does not suffer the same degree of attenuation and single photon communication with satellites orbiting the Earth at several hundred kilometres has been demonstrated. Satellites then, provide an ideal vehicle for distributing quantum key information across very large distances between end users spread across countries or continents. However, in order to benefit from the advances in satellite technology, a network of Optical Ground Receivers (OGRs) are required to receive and detect the photons carrying the key information. The UK, as a major player in the development of advanced optical & photonic technologies, is well positioned to address this future market for OGR. This project works with users to specify OGR requirements and prototypes and tests a QKD receiver, whilst designing and making plans for scaled manufacture in the UK.

This project seeks to develop miniaturised red,green, blue (RGB) laser sources that will play a significant role in future laser displays, augmented reality hardware, optical communications and medical equipment. The miniRGB source will exploit three innovative technologies including two advanced laser manufacturing techniques of waveguide writing and lens formation. Using an ultrashort pulsed laser, 3D waveguides can be written into glass to create optical circuits with great design freedom. The lens formation method uses lasers to micro-machine lens structures onto glass surfaces with complex lens profiles being possible. A third innovation of compact laser array packaging will be used to allow coupled sources more than 50 times smaller than the current state of the art. The project team includes project lead, Optocap, an optical component integration and packaging company; PowerPhotonic an SME specialising in direct laser lens formation and Optoscribe, an ultrafast laser inscription company. The fourth partner, research and technology organisation Fraunhofer UK, will develop the waveguide writing process and build the project demonstrator. The project will feature an industrial engagement work package to find the drivers and stakeholders in the target markets and a commercialisation work package to accelerate the technology to market after the project.

This project will develop tapered-amplifiers and single-photon detection techniques in order to develop a Time-of-Flight underwater 3D imaging system. These systems use new single-photon counting detectors and timing techniques to enable imaging with low-light return levels and offer sub-centimeter depth resolution. The developed systems will offer order-of-magnitude improvements over competitive commercial systems and the developed components will have widespread applications.

Quantum technologies are considered to have a similarly wide and ubiquitous social impact that electronics have enjoyed after the invention of the transistor, but to achieve this it will be necessary to make a vital transition from research labs and large scale installations into industrial and consumer markets. In particular, the development of compact and rugged single-frequency light sources is required by QT to manipulate the quantum states of atoms and ions. In this project, using our innovative propriotery technology platform, we will develop a compact single-frequency solid-state laser for controlling quantum states of Strontium atoms via light-matter interaction at their near-Infrared transition at 813nm. We will reduce the size and cost of this critical component enormously, without losing performance, in order to place the UK at the vanguard of QT development and commercialisation.

Optical clocks offer superior performance (e.g. >100 times greater accuracy) over alternative atomic clock technologies. They are required in satellite free navagation, timing signals for financial trading as well as scientific research amongst many other potential applications. However, existing optical clocks are large, complex & expensive and have not so far met the needs of these markets, one of the reasons is the lack of suitable laser sources for field deployment. In this project we will develop underpinning subsystems of optical clocks, frequency-stabilised laser systems, using GaN external cavity diode lasers.

An integrated GaN laser diode and optical amplifier is developed in GaNAmP to provide a laser source for cold-atom interferometry for optical atomic clocks and quantum sensing applications.

This project will develop a magnetometer field demonstrator which exhibits a combination of higher sensitivity and reduced size weight and power compared to existing commercial products.

Our work focuses on the development of a compact, integrated, high bandwidth source of cold atoms. This will provide a key subsystem for many quantum technologies and will be initially targeted for inertial sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and full inertial measurement units (IMUs) based on atom interferometry. In order to transition these systems out of the laboratory and into commercial applications this work will address the present challenges of size, weight, and power (SWaP) and measurement rate. Through innovative engineering coupling a compact ultra-high vacuum system to a compact lasers source, we will produce a low SWaP system suitable for aerospace use. In addition, by using sequential cold matter generation and progressive cooling to maximize the flux of cold atoms, the system will maximize potential sensor bandwidth. This system will demonstrate conclusively that the SWaP and bandwidth are not fundamental limitations to cold atom inertial sensing for aerospace applications. The project will generates technology for the end user and enables a market for component makes, subsystem suppliers, and system integrators providing both market pull and technology push.

The possibility to exchange a cryptographic key secured by the laws of quantum physics is rapidly leaving the academic laboratories and entering our everyday life, with commercial devices currently available. These, typically, rely on the propagation of quantum states of light in dedicated optical fibres. However, the unavoidable fibre loss is limiting the maximum distance achievable to roughly a hundred miles. This limitation could be overcome by exploiting satellite quantum communication. Different governments and funding agencies, such as China and the European Space Agency, are currently investigating this possibility. The main component for satellite quantum communication is the source of quantum light. In this project, we want to evaluate the feasibility of a commercial product for the generation of the necessary quantum states of light able to be deployed on a satellite. By combining Optocap's expertise in the packaging of optical components for space applications and Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics know-how in quantum technologies, we aim at defining the route towards the first commercialisation of a source of entangled photons for satellite quantum communication.

Quantum technologies are poised to reshape the scientific field, but are limited at present by the availability of high-performance, narrow-linewidth laser systems in a compact size, as these laser sub-systems tend to be a major contributor to the size and cost of the final system. In this project we will develop a compact, narrow-linewidth laser system to achieve the performance required for quantum technology applications. This project will aim to address the requirements for use in Rb based quantum sensors with a practical narrow linewidth laser system at 780 nanometers.

Radar and its optical counterpart, lidar, are well established and widely used technologies. The first is typically exploited for long-range detection, while lidar, operating at visible to near infrared wavelengths, offers improved resolution yet at a shorter distance. With the recent advances in quantum technologies, we can now investigate the feasibility of using quantum metrology in radar and lidar systems. While proof of principle results show the possibility to exploit quantum detection and illumination (e.g. entangled photons) to increase radar/lidar resolution and sensitivity, it is not clear yet if real systems can actually benefit from these achievements. This study will assess if the available quantum technology is mature enough, or is likely to mature, to increase the performance of radar and lidar with respect to the classical state-of-the-art, or achieve the same performances with reduced size/power consumption? This study will consider the most advanced results for quantum radar/lidar schemes and quantum devices for use in realistic situations. This answer will allow an understanding of whether quantum radar/lidar systems are a valuable commercial development worthy of further investigation and investment by UK companies.

Optical instruments are critical in identifying substances and molecules. They are used in a diverse range of applications such as manufacture, pollution monitoring, airport security systems and healthcare diagnostics. Often, molecular species are present in minute amounts, making their measurement difficult. A fundamental limit to sensitivity of such instruments is the presence of noise in the laser light, which hides the very signature fluctuations in the optical signal intensity that enable detection of very minute levels of a given substance. In this project, we will address this by exploiting recent advances in quantum optics — the application of squeezed quantum states of light. In this special form of quantum light, one can choose to sacrifice the purity of characteristics of the light that one is not interested in order to reap gains in others that one is - in our case, characteristics that enable spectroscopy. Such an approach was recently and spectactularly successful in the first steps of helping the next generation of LIGO detectors search deeper into space for astronomical events causing gravitational waves. We will exploit squeezed light for molecular detection with unprecedented sensitivity, thereby enabling detection of far smaller amounts of molecules possible with standard techniques.

Quantum technology will revolutionize science, computing, communication, medical diagnosis and treatment, security, defence, and consumer goods. Fundamentally, the development and proliferation of quantum technologies into everyday life depend on the availability of sensors capable of time-resolved recording of individual energy quanta. Photon Force has partnered with Heriot Watt University (Edinburgh) and Fraunhofer UK (Glasgow) to create a single-photon sensitive fibre-coupled light detector which can detect and time 0.5 billion individual photons per second with 55 picosecond time precision. The sensor could help physicists advance their research, firefighters see through smoke, improve the resolution and speed of medical imaging, or provide secure optical communication links.

Quantum technologies are braced to have a similarly wide and ubiquitous social impact that electronics have enjoyed since the invention of the transistor, but to achieve this it will be necessary to miniaturise all the component subsystems, in particular the single-frequency lasers sources needed to manipulate the quantum states of atoms and ions. In this project we will develop ultra-compact solid-state lasers, using an innovative design to extend the wavelength coverage and functionality of microchip lasers. The development of such compact and rugged sources of single-frequency light sources will be instrumental in paving the way for quantum technologies to reach their full potential and make the transition from research labs and large scale installations into industrial and consumer markets.

It is difficult to overestimate the impact of electronic computers on modern society – and yet, just a few decades ago, computer technology was a creature of the research laboratory due to their enormous complexity, power requirement, and cost. The uptake of such technology by wider, non-specialist society was only possible once improvements in the size, cost and performance of the subsystems upon which computers depend had been realised. Quantum technology finds itself at a similar junction. These systems are now a reality and hold enormous potential to revolutionise our lives, but they are only found in research laboratories because they depend upon very expensive, very large laser systems. In this project, we will reduce the size and cost of these critical components enormously, without losing performance, in order to place the UK at the vanguard of QT development and commercialisation.

It is difficult to overestimate the impact of electronic computers on modern society – and yet, just a few decades ago, computer technology was a creature of the research laboratory due to their enormous complexity, power requirement, and cost. The uptake of such technology by wider, non-specialist society was only possible once improvements in the size, cost and performance of the subsystems upon which computers depend had been realised. Quantum technology finds itself at a similar junction. These systems are now a reality and hold enormous potential to revolutionise our lives, but they are only found in research laboratories because they depend upon very expensive, very large laser systems. In this project, we will reduce the size and cost of these critical components enormously, without losing performance, in order to place the UK at the vanguard of QT development and commercialisation.

Offshore renewable energy such as tidal, wave and offshore wind is an increasingly important part of the UK energy supply. However, there are challenges when it comes to operating in an offshore environment. Cable infrastructure can be vulnerable to being dragged or worn. Installation, repair and maintenance operations are all costly. The cable transmission capacity can limit the amount of energy taken from a device or device array. This project seeks to investigate the feasibility of two types of sensor technology measuring a wide range of cable parameters, that can operate over the optical communications fibre that is already present in most power cables. These systems can provide real time monitoring of electrical performance and also the physical condition of offshore cabling infrastructure. The expected outcome from the project are sensor subsystem designs that have been validated in the laboratory and in samples of marine power cable at partner test sites. This will allow the UK team to move forward to larger scale development and testing with a core of large industry partners

It is difficult to overestimate the impact of electronic computers on modern society – and yet, just a few decades ago, computer technology was limited to the research laboratory by their enormous complexity, power requirement, and cost. The uptake of such technology by wider, non-specialist society has gone hand in hand with improvements in size, cost and performance of the subsystems upon which computers depend. Quantum technology finds itself at a similar junction. These systems are now a reality and hold enormous potential to revolutionise our lives, but they are only found in a few research laboratories because they depend upon very expensive, very large and very fragile laser systems and electronics. In this project, we will reduce the size and cost of these critical components enormously, without losing performance, in order to place the UK at the vanguard of QT development and commercialisation.

The offshore wind power generation industry is critically dependent upon high capital-cost turbines. Such assets are required to operate over long periods of time, often in harsh conditions and high stresses, with minimal maintenance. The ever increasing size, complexity and remote location of wind turbines results in maintenance contributing a significant proportion of the cost-per-unit generated. The industry needs sensor and digital technologies to provide a route to faster and better maintenance decision-making – boosting safety, productivity and efficiency, and helping to maintain profitability. At a time of lower prices, revenues and capital spending, sensor technologies combined with data analytics stand out as a leading contributor for reducing costs. Data driven analytics can be employed to detect when equipment is going to fail, or can be used to run that same equipment close to design capacity, to maximise asset use. We propose an intelligent sensor technology that complements our existing vibration measurement expertise with lubricant analysis: a potent predictive data analytics tool which will bring advanced asset management to the industry.

This project seeks to explore the technical feasibility of incorporating remote laser wind measurement instrumentation within the interior body of wind turbine blades, including use of blade LIDAR windows conformal to the existing blade shape. This will pave the way for wind turbine integrated intersecting beam laser wind measurement - a technique that will enable incoming wind profiles to be measured with unprecedented detail - this is of great importance when it comes to optimising and protecting the massive wind energy generating assets that are being installed offshore and onshore around the UK, enabling the UK to reduce further its reliance on fossil fuels and offering export opportunities to a long term global growth market.

Wind LIDAR (LIght Detection and Ranging) is a technique that is used to remotely measure the wind speed and is being used throughout the wind industry from site prospecting to wind turbine control. Floating Wind LIDAR has been more recently introduced to replace expensive offshore meteorological masts, however multiple intersecting beams are required to give a true 3D wind direction and this cannot be done with today's floating Wind LIDAR designs. Existing floating LIDAR cannot adequately measure turbulence because of their diverging beams whereas the converging beam LIDAR offers this capability which is critical to appropriate wind turbine type selection. This project seeks to investigate the feasibility of constructing an advanced motion control that can enable multiple Wind LIDAR beams to be intersected even when operating in the open sea from floating platforms. This enhancement of details will lead to more accurate turbine performance assessment, optimisation and also offer the opportunity to investigate and monitor what are the actual wind profiles hitting these enormous offshore structures by offering volumetric 3d wind mapping.

The AtlasBio (Ref. 102610) was conceived in response to the government's Innovate UK funding competition "Analytical Technologies for Biopharmaceuticals". The project aims to develop a multiplexed suite of process analytical technologies (based on Raman, near infrared and impedance spectroscopy) which support the freeze drying of biologics from the scale-up of batch freeze-drying to the development and implementation of new continuous freeze-drying methods. Our partners are GEA Process Engineering (LEAD), The Centre for Process Engineering, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, IS Instruments Ltd, Blue Frog Design Ltd, Ocean Optics UK, OncoLytika Ltd, De Montfort University and Nottingham University.

Wind energy is becoming a key ingredient in the UK's energy mix. However, the cost of offshore wind in particular remains relatively high and can begin to hold back uptake of this low carbon option and with the installation of new onshore turbines reducing there needs to be greater efficincies and performace shown from the many thousands of installed wind turbines globally. An important part of the energy costs comes from maintenance and servicing. Reducing wear and downtime and improving turbine efficiency is an important goal for the designers of the next generation of wind turbines. Behind every wind turbine there is generated a wake pattern that can give us vital information about the alignment of a turbine. A control system based on such measurements requires a low cost laser based wind measurement system to be viable. This project will construct such a wake monitoring system and then after ruggedisation take it to the field to test it alongside much more expensive and bulky commercial laser based measurement systems. The expected outcome from the project will be a field demonstrator that is able to show the feasibility and benefits of wake anemometry

Optical lattice clocks offer superior performance (>100x) over competing technologies and are required in scientific research, satellite-free navigators and timing signals for financial trading. However, existing all-optical clocks are complex and expensive and have not met the needs of the markets. In this project we will develop underpinning technology of all-optical clocks, stabilised-frequency laser systems, using novel laser sources. These sources are essential low-cost flexible tools to unlock the full quantum technology applications potential. COCLES will develop lasers with ever more demanding performance metrics. To complete a family of laser devices required by a full clock system.

Offshore renewable energy such as tidal, wave and offshore wind is an important part of the UK energy supply and is becoming more so. However there are challenges when it comes to operating in an offshore or marine environment. The cable infrastructure can be vulnerable to being dragged or worn. The transmission capacity can limit the ammount of energy taken from a device or device array. Repair of offshore cables or infrastructure is costly. This project seeks to investigate the feasibiity of combining two types of sensor technology on a shared optical fibre network that can provide real time monitoring of electrical performance and also the physical condition of a cable in a marine energy project. The proposed system would use pre- existing optical fibre already on the installed power cable to opticallly interrogate electrical sensors and to also perform as a dsitributed sensor The expected outcome from the project is a system level design with technical and commercial development plan to fully exploit this technology.

Wind energy is becoming a vital ingredient in the nation's energy mix. Displacing fossil fuels and exploiting our unique natural resource, wind energy seems to be entering a golden age. However, the cost of offshore wind in particular remains relatively high and can begin to hold back uptake of this low carbon option. An important part of the energy costs comes from the maintenance and servicing of large offshore facilities. Reducing wear and downtime and improving individual turbine efficiency is an important goal for the designers of the next generation of wind turbines. Behind every wind turbine there is generated a wake pattern that can give us vital information about the alignment of a turbine. This project will look at the feasibility of low cost advanced anemometry techniques to measure wake patterns as part of a turbine yaw control system, this will enable turbines to always be at optimum yaw angle thus reducing uneven loading on the blades and ensuring optimum efficiency. The expected outcome from the project will be a system level design and route to commercialisation of a low cost yaw control system.

Optical lattice clocks offer superior performance (>100x) over competing technologies and are required in scientific research, satellite-free navigators and timing signals for financial trading. However, existing all-optical clocks are complex and expensive and have not met the needs of the markets. In this project we will develop underpinning technology of all-optical clocks, the frequency comb, using a novel compact low-cost approach. The frequency comb can be thought of as an ‘optical gearbox’ that translates the fast optical frequency into a frequency where it can be measured with electronics and is a key requirement of optical clocks. We will develop novel technology suitable for frequency comb generation that is compact and low-cost.

Optical lattice clocks offer superior performance (>100x) over competing technologies and are required in scientific research, satellite-free navigators and timing signals for financial trading. However, existing all-optical clocks are complex and expensive and have not met the needs of the markets. In this project we will develop underpinning technology of all-optical clocks, stablised-frequency laser systems, using novel laser sources.

The UK has not yet realised the potential of the breakthroughs in Graphene. This high-risk feasibility project aims to pave the way for the UK’s first flagship graphene-enabled product, a high-value ultrafast laser system for a variety of applications. This brings together two world leading organisations, Coherent Scotland and Fraunhofer UK to deliver a graphene subsystem which will to give greater functionality and reduced cost, enabling broader use and uptake of a headline export success for the UK. This will underpin and extend high-value employment lead to social and health benefits. Whilst early results in graphene suggest it has potential in optical applications, we propose to use it to provide a world first and leading product breakthrough.

Imaging of artwork is an important aspect of art conservation, technical art history, and art authentication. Many forms of near-infrared (NIR) imaging are currently used by conservators, archeologists, forensic scientists and technical art historians to examine the under-drawings of paintings, to detect damage and restorations, to enhance faded or over-painted inscriptions, to study artists’ techniques, to examine questioned documents, and as a non-destructive analytical tool for identifying certain pigments. We propose using an infrared optical parametric oscillator (a very broadly tunable source of mid-infrared light with exceptional spectral purity) to explore oil, acrylic and water colour paintings, specifically to realise an automated system than can scan in an artwork and detrmine its authenticity. Once proven in this challenging application, the technology we will develop will find utility in a range of diverse, impactful and timely end use applications in the wider fields of imaging for security, chemical sensing and environmental monitoring.

This project seeks to take a new LIDAR system from construction of field demonstrator through to installation on wind farm and environmental test for marine ruggedisation. The programmable scanning LIDAR under development will bring a step change in LIDAR measurement capability and enable wind farm operators to really know the wind profile that is hitting their turbine, rather than being kept ignorant by unrepresentative hub height measurements. A number of innovative steps will be employed in order to improve accuracy and capability. This will enable the total farm output to be forecast from seconds to minutes ahead, thus enabling truly flexible grid resource planning. The system will also offer savings by reducing infrastructure failure rates. This will be achieved by augmenting condition monitoring systems with detailed mapping of the incident wind vector field. As an added bonus the system will highlight yaw misalignment. The system will assist wind turbine parameter tuning so that wind turbine may be set up like a race car for the relevant operating conditions.

A compact continuous wave (CW) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) capable of tuning over key absorption features in the infrared (IR) is a highly desirable tool for spectroscopy of key atmospheric pollutants, narcotics and explosives. A system that can combine very broad coarse tuneability with smoothly tunable, narrow-linewidth radiation enables the detection and identification of a diverse range of substances with exceptional precision. Fitting the OPO into a single, adjustment-free and highly compact box makes it very attractive for applications both inside and, crucially outside of laboratory conditions. M Squared Lasers already manufacture a pulsed (broad linewidth) OPO, which is a compact broadly tunable source, and have combined this with their scanning system in order to produce hyperspectral images. The challenge is to produce significantly narrower linewidth by making a CW OPO. The project presents a disruptive change in this field, credible market potential and will address the needs of a wide range of important and timely applications.

Project title: Mid Infrared Gas Sensing and Imaging System (MIG-SIS) MIG-SIS project will develop and demonstrate 2um pump laser sources optimised for the optical parametric amplification (OPA) of chirped Quantum Cascade (QC) Lasers for sensing and imaging applications. QC Laser stand-off trace gas detection is currently limited by the watt level peak power they emit. As a consequence (and dependant upon the particular detection scheme) range is restricted to ~1’s – 10’s metres. The primary technical motivator of this project is therefore to extend the range of QC Laser based active stand-off gas detection system through a significant increase in its illumination and range capabilities via the use of an OPA. This project will focus on combining 2 different photon generation mechanisms: non-linear optics (Q-switched solid state-laser pumped OPAs) and direct generation (QC Lasers).

The microscope market was 2.7bn in 2011 and is expected to increase to nearly 3.4 billion in 2016. Multi-photon excitation (MPE) microscopy is the imaging workhorse of life science laboratories. An ultrafast laser is at the core of any MPE microscope and the state of the art for this is the Ti:Sapphire laser. While its output properties are highly desirable for MPE, its optical pump lasers are based on a complex, multi-stage wavelength conversion process, making Ti:Sapphire very expensive (£150k) and often impractical. This project will address these shortcomings by developing a low-cost laser for biomedical imaging. This will be achieved by leveraging recent advances in gallium nitride diode lasers emitting at 450nm (originally motivated by multimedia projection applications). Crucially, this laser will be suitable for OEM integration into microscope systems opening up new markets in comparison to status-quo where microscope and laser are discrete systems. The feasibility of this project has already been proven by means of a TSB feasibility study and an EPSRC KTA programme. This project forms an essential final step before commercialisation of the technology.

Elforlight and Fraunhofer CAP will collaborate on the creation of a novel Diode-Pumped Solid-State (DPSS) laser for sensing systems which will create a compact and affordable system for a variety of markets. By targeting a wavelength region with a large number of important substances which need to be detected, an attractive commercial opportunity will be opened up for an ambitious UK technology company, securing and increasing jobs in high value advanced technology. Applications in environmental, industrial processing, petrochemical and explosive detection are addressable with this innovative photonic technology. Over 12 months the team will produce a working demonstrator, leveraging some existing know-how and creating a strong position in intellectual property and in the market

This study will determine the feasibility of producing significant improvements in productivity and reliability, and as a consequence, reductions in LCoE and increased revenue, in OWE generation. Innovative nacelle mounted LIDAR techniques which deliver high value at low cost will be identified and developed. Technical solutions and innovation will be informed and enabled by rigorous analysis of newly acquired detailed wind in-flow data to determine the most effective measurements by which to make critical wind turbine control decisions to increase productivity, and reduce maintenance by enabling ride-through of otherwise damaging wind conditions. The project will produce innovation in LIDAR systems aimed at accelerating their adoption and greatly increasing their RoI. Key outputs will be a robust economic analysis, business case and technical route to implementation of a system level design.

SYNOPOSIS will develop an active, long-wave mid-infrared (LWIR) imaging system capable of catering for a wide range of applications including the detection of explosives, oil and gas prospecting and medical diagnostics. To date, active imaging systems operate mostly in the short-wave mid-infrared spectral region. Moving the technology to longer wavelength will enable access to the so-called molecular fingerprint region where the interaction with light and molecules is significantly stronger, therefore enabling higher sensitivity and specificity. The limiting factor in the context of LWIR active imaging technology has so far been the availability of practical LWIR light sources. SYNOPOSIS will address this issue by advancing the continuous-wave, intracavity-pumped, optical parametric oscillator into the LWIR by employing novel nonlinear materials such as orientation-patterned gallium arsenide and zinc germanium diphosphide.

Multiphoton Microscopy is a key imaging technique in the biological sciences, enabling high resolution imaging at depths unobtainable via alternative imaging techniques. Currently, the lasers used as excitation sources are complex and therefore somewhat costly, therefore there is a requirement to identify alternate excitation sources. This project will investigate the applicability of innovative laser sources to Multiphoton Microscopy and explore ways of tailoring such sources to enable optimal imaging performance, bringing this unique imaging modality to a wider market.

Multiphoton Microscopy is a key imaging technique in the biological sciences, enabling high resolution imaging at depths unobtainable via alternative imaging techniques. Currently, the lasers used as excitation sources are complex and therefore somewhat costly, therefore there is a requirement to identify alternate excitation sources. This project will investigate the applicability of innovative laser sources to Multiphoton Microscopy and explore ways of tailoring such sources to enable optimal imaging performance, bringing this unique imaging modality to a wider market.