Annual Report 2014–15
2
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Quantum Technology Hub
I am delighted to welcome you to the first annual report of the UK Quantum Technology Hub for
Sensors and Metrology. I have always believed in the mutual benefits of science and technology:
new technology often underpins breakthrough scientific discoveries, which in turn pave the way
for disruptive technology jumps of the future with huge economic impact.
The £270 million UK National Quantum Technologies Programme supported by over £30 million
from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is a bold move by the UK government
to accelerate the transition from fundamental science into multi-billion-pound economic benefit.
This has not only raised significant international attention, with other countries following our
example, but also attracted industrial support of over £60 million in an area that otherwise would
still be beyond the radar of commercial blue-sky scanning. Here lies the chance to really move
ahead of the competition and create an unparalleled ecosystem for economic growth in quantum
technology (QT).
This hub brings together key science and engineering expertise from the universities of
Birmingham, Glasgow, Nottingham, Southampton, Strathclyde and Sussex, to work alongside
over 70 industry partners to transform science into technology, develop a skilled workforce
and strong user base, feeding market and supply chains for new quantum technology sensor
and metrology products.
We have invested £17 million in capital equipment, and have retained and recruited a strong
team made up of international researchers, bringing their expertise for the benefit of the UK.
I am delighted that our core team also includes key industrial figures, providing expertise, purpose,
direction, challenge and management for the Hub’s work. We do not stand still, and the formation
of new academic and industrial collaborations is a critical success factor for this hub. Seven
additional industry-led Innovate UK projects have already been initiated with a total volume
approaching £2 million.
This QT ecosystem requires end users, integrators, system manufacturers, sub systems,
components, tooling, materials and elements of optics, magnets, lasers, power supplies, heating
and cooling, atom and ion sources, ultra-high vacuum technologies, data processing, systems
integration, process control, fabrication, packaging solutions and product design. Industrial
partners at all stages of the emerging supply chains will be required to meet the market potential,
and our work is to build confidence and encourage investment to facilitate this growth. One part
of this plan is embodied in our Quantum Technology Transfer Centre, featuring laboratories, capital
equipment and office space available for use by industrial and academic collaborators, which
is now open in Birmingham.
I look forward to being able to discuss the opportunities with you, including co-location of
development facilities; meet the team events; Hub newsletters; and access to funding, equipment,
scientists and engineers for collaborative research.
Professor Kai Bongs
Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holder
Director of the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology
3
4
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Key Messages
In 2013, the UK government invested £270
million over five years into the National Quantum
Technologies Programme. This is accelerating
the translation of innovative laboratory research
into commercially viable technologies, supporting
British business and making a real difference in
our everyday lives. The UK Quantum Technology
Hub for Sensors and Metrology is a key
component of this programme.
We are part of a coherent government, industry
and academic community. This gives the UK a
world-leading position in emerging multi-billionpound quantum technology markets, substantially
enhancing the value of some of the largest UKbased industries.
We are committed to the programme’s vision,
providing an easy entry point for companies
interested in unlocking the potential of emerging
quantum technology markets. We engage
with and support industry by funding grants
to help companies to identify and develop uses,
applications and markets for new technologies
which will impact their business.
We are developing and delivering smaller,
cheaper, more accurate and energy-efficient
components and systems (pages 13–26).
These include ultra-high vacuum systems
(pages 18 and 49–51).
Quantum Technology
Key Messages
Hub
Using a new generation of quantum technologies,
we are now enabling and driving a new range
of previously impossible devices and systems
to solve currently intractable problems (pages
27–48). For example, a gravimeter demonstrator
is very close to completion for use outdoors. This
demonstrator will enable practical research trials
towards the detection and location of smaller and
more deeply buried features, including pipelines
and cable conduits, under difficult ground
conditions (pages 46–48).
We are building prototypes and demonstrators
for quantum sensor technology. These are
advancing applications across a range of
sectors including healthcare (pages 31–32
and 44–45), navigation (pages 24–29, 36–39
and 51), defence (page 39) and archaeology
(pages 27–29).
Our research will dramatically improve the
accuracy of measuring time, frequency, rotation,
magnetic fields and gravity. It will have a tangible
impact across a wide range of applications,
including electronic stock trading; GPS
navigation; dementia research; and the mapping
of pipework and cabling below the road surface
(pages 27–48).
We are supporting the development of a supply
chain for the manufacture of these devices,
enabling the outputs to be adopted by industry
for full commercialisation (pages 49–51).
We continue to work with supply chain and
end-user industry partners. Together, we are
creating a seamless link between science and
applications, transforming business, government
and society.
5
6
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Contents
Context
7
Vision
7
Research Programme
Research and Innovation Achievements
8
12
Deliverables
12
Objectives
13
WP1: Lasers and Electronics
14
WP2: Atomics
17
WP3: Special Lasers
20
WP4: Systems Packaging
25
WP5: Gravity Sensing
28
WP6: Magnetic Sensors
31
WP7: Rotation Sensors
34
WP8: Clocks
37
WP9: Quantum Imaging
41
WP10: Market Building and Networking
44
WP11: Gravity in Civil Engineering
47
WP12: Systems Engineering and Technology Translation
50
Engagement and Pathways to Impact
54
Engagement with core technology partners
55
Engagement with potential users of novel products
56
Engagement with clients, civil servants and policy makers
57
Engagement with researchers
58
Conferences and events
60
Public engagement
61
Quantum Sensors and Metrology Community
62
QT people
62
Intellectual assets
64
Collaborations
65
Use of partnership resource
66
Effective and efficient operations
66
Further funding
67
Grant spend profile
67
Governance and advisors
67
Context and Vision
Context
Vision
The UK government has recognised that
recent advances in science, engineering
and manufacturing capabilities, together
with a strong UK research base in quantum
technology and the willingness of key
partners to collaborate, combine to present
a major national opportunity. Building upon
two decades of investment in the academic
quantum community, a further £270 million has
now been invested to create the UK National
Quantum Technologies Programme. This
programme aims to convert the next generation
of quantum technologies from laboratory
science into innovative and marketable
products, rooted in the UK and able to
deliver long-term societal benefits.
Quantum superposition lies at the heart of
quantum theory, allowing two classically
distinct and exclusive alternatives to coexist.
The mission of this QT Hub is to take this
well-tested cornerstone of quantum mechanics,
combined with a strong sense of technology,
and provide a five-year route to practical
demonstrations of marketable devices which,
by exploiting this principle, outperform
conventional sensors. Our ambition extends
beyond this five-year period to envision the
Hub’s leaders nurturing QT into maturity.
The programme was formed as a collaboration
between the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills, the Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC),
Innovate UK, the National Physical Laboratory
(NPL), the Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory (Dstl) and the Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). The
programme is further enhanced by leveraging
support and contributions from other sources
including UK universities and industries.
The focus of this Hub is to put in place all that
is required to generate commercial businesses
from these ideas. This is being achieved by
developing and evolving a thematic programme
of research, technology development
and innovation activities to accelerate the
development and application of quantum
technologies. The Hub has a clear strategy
with two- and five-year goals.
Four quantum technology hubs have been
created within this National Quantum
Technologies Programme. Each hub has a
particular focus. The Quantum Technology
Hub for Sensors and Metrology, led by
Professor Kai Bongs at the University of
Birmingham, has recently completed the
first year of developments, as summarised
in this document.
Progress at the two-year stage:
 Demonstrators for gravity, magnetic
field and rotation sensing
 Multimode entangled light source
for bio-imaging
 Miniaturised components including a
wafer-integrated Raman-laser, pump-less
vacuum chambers, ion/atom chips for
magnetometry, laser systems for Sr cooling,
inertial stabilisation systems and 3D printed
atom chip base structures
 First demonstrations of gravity sensing
in civil engineering applications outside
the laboratory
 Rotation sensor system simulation software:
to be assessed by end-user partners before
transfer to other sensors
Progress at the five-year stage:
 Fully integrated laser, and optical
delivery, systems on the market
 Demonstrators shrunk to less than
ten litres outperforming current stateof-the-art sensitivities for all sensor areas
 More than five end-user driven
demonstrations of commercial quantum
sensor applications carried out
£1bn
Specialised
QT sensors
Car boot
100s Watt
10 x better
than classical
2015
Composite pulses
QND detection
Industry
QT sensors
backpack
10s Watt
100 x better
than classical
2020
Large momentum
beamsplitters
Fully
integrated
systems
New schemes
2025
Consumer
QT sensors
handheld
Watt
1000 x better
than classical
2030
Entanglement
QT sensor networks
Hub roadmap for developing quantum sensors that translate underpinning fundamental
research to industry and end users.
Fundamental
research
Superposition
Laser cooling
Integrated
components
New schemes
£10m
Hub activity
Laboratory
demonstrations
Size: room
Power: kW
beating classical
counterparts
Medical diagnostics
Construction
Naval navigation
Data storage masters
£100m
QT sensor market industry
Defence
Geophysics
Health monitoring
Game interfaces
GPS replacement
Data storage products
Local network timing
Gravity imaging
7
8
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Research Programme
In order to deliver our vision, we need to
overcome the following key challenges:
 Gaining clarity about which applications
and methodologies from the plethora of
potential end users will prevail first
 Overcoming the reluctance of potential
manufacturers to invest, by providing clarity
about their initial and future customer base
and markets
 Facilitating investment to allow the
supply companies to develop the
requisite components
A parallel, and equally critical, task is to seed
the market with early adopters of the new
sensor technologies. To do this, we will use the
extra leverage of investment already generated
outside this QT Hub. The timing of this means
that there will be early examples of emerging
QT, which will enable a much wider market to
understand the potential. In isolation, single
projects can never generate the supply chain
necessary to underpin new QT. Using the
partnership resource, we will engage with
leading engineers and medical practitioners to
demonstrate the applications and advantages
of our prototypes. The added value of the Hub
is that by increasing the number and diversity
of demonstrators built from common parts,
component manufacturers see a broader
market and are encouraged to join early.
This science has been applied in five sensor
technologies where quantum superposition
gives a lab-demonstrated improvement
over classical sensors. In each of these five
areas, the QT Hub is applying the toolkit of
technologies, creating prototypes; robust,
practical, demonstrators; standardised atomics,
electronics and laser components, modules
and systems; and facilitating the birth of
a QT industry.
The sensors built on these technologies can
be applied in a diverse list of industries. In each
application there are specific challenges,
with common themes of robustness, cost,
accuracy, package size and enhanced
metrological performance.
The five technologies are:
Our strategy is to turn laboratory physics in
five sensor technologies (where quantum
superposition gives a lab-demonstrated
improvement over classical sensors) into
robust, practical prototypes and demonstrators.
By working in tandem with component
manufacturers and systems engineers, we
are developing the standardised components,
modules and systems needed to facilitate
the birth of a QT industry in five years. Since
communication between businesses along the
supply chain is crucial for achieving this, our
hub is co-locating science with commercial
companies. Standardisation will incentivise
companies to develop smaller, lighter and
cheaper components in a scalable fashion.
Technology toolkit
Many existing technologies (eg,
microprocessors, solid-state imaging devices,
lasers) are derived from quantum physics.
We are now at the verge of a Quantum 2.0
revolution, where single particle control enables
us to harness the more advanced aspects
of quantum mechanics: superposition
and entanglement.
The Hub focuses on sensor and metrology
applications of superposition, involving
combinations of atoms, light, and matter,
where quantum theory allows two classically
distinct and exclusive alternatives to co-exist.
Our technology toolkit of atomics, laser cooling
and trapping methods is used to prepare
atoms and ions in a well-controlled motional
state. Tailored laser or microwave pulses
are then used to create superposition
states and recombine them after some
‘measurement time’, leading to interference
in final state populations. The form of the
pulses, laser geometry, and traps determines
the measurement type. Separating the paths
vertically, or so that they enclose an area,
enables the measurement of gravity and
rotation respectively. Superposing different
spin, or energy, states allows magnetic fields
or time to be determined.
Gravity
Magnetic
Imaging
Clocks
Rotation
Research Programme
3. Market building – enhancing the business
case for quantum sensor manufacturers
(WPs10, 11): We are engaging with leading
engineers and medical practitioners to
demonstrate the applications and advantages
of our prototypes (WP10) in close
collaboration with end-user partners
including Dstl, NPL and RSK Group.
WP1:
Laser/Electronics
Atom
interferometer
WP2:
Atomics Package
D5.1
WP3:
Special Lasers
WP4:
Systems Package
WP6: Magnetic
Hall probes,
SQUIDS, MFM
Atomic spin,
BEC
WP7: Rotation
Fibre gyroscopes
WP8: Clocks
Large MW clocks
WP9: Imaging
Shot-noise limited
Atomic Sagnac
interferometer
Portable MW
and optical lattice
clocks
Sub shot-noise
D6.3
D7.1
D5.2
D6.1
D7.2
D7.3
D5.3
D6.2
D5.4
D6.4
D9.1
D8.1
Year – 1 review
Year – 2 review
Year – 3 review
D8.2
D8.3
D7.4
Prototyping
Current State
of the art
Hub goals
D9.2
D5.5
D6.1-3
D7.4
D8.3
D9.2
< 10 litre Gravity
sensor units
µm – cm range
magnetometers
Compact rotary
sensor
Prototypes
Portable Clock
Quantum Light
Source
Year – 4 review
Year – 5 review
Market Building and Commercialisation via WP10 – 13
Spin-outs
Inter-relation and timeline (nonlinear, in direction of down arrows) for technology transfer between the work
package groups and external users. Diamonds: examples of deliverables that will move the prototypes from
WPs5–9 beyond the state-of-the-art for atomic sensors and clocks.
Market Building
TRL 5 – 7
£5.7m
Prototyping
TRL 3 – 5
£7.75m
WP10: Market Building and Networking
– £5.2m C. Constantinou
WP11 – £0.5m
Gravity in Civil Eng.
N. Metje
WP5 – £0.95m
Gravity
K. Bongs
WP7 – £2.05m
Rotation
T. Freegarde
Supply Chain WP1 – £4.15m
Technologies Laser/Electronics
£10.55m
D. Paul
WP6 – £2.25m
Magnetic
P. Kruger
WP8 – £1.75m
Clocks
E. Riis
WP2 – £2.6m
Atomics Package
M. Fromhold
WP9 – £0.75m
MM Imaging
V. Boyer
WP3 – £2.7m
Special Lasers
J. Hastie
WP4 – £1.1m
Systems Package
M. Attallah
Overview of work packages showing their groupings, technology-readiness levels (TRL) addressed and
internal/external connectivity.
The Public
Commercial End-User Partners
WP13 – £0.5m
Management and Outreach
2. Prototyping (WPs5–9, 12): We are actively
managing technology translation to quantum
sensor module/systems manufacturers using
the supply chain technologies from work
packages 1–4 to translate proof-of-principle
demonstration into production prototypes.
Crucially, the University of Birmingham
and University of Nottingham Technology
Translation and Prototyping Centres (WPs4–
9,12) are enabling co-location of, and hence
collaboration between, atomic sensor experts,
engineers and industrial partners.
WP5: Gravity
Corner cubes
WP12 – £0.5m
Systems Engineering and Technology Translation. P. John and D. Paul
1. Supply chain technologies (WPs1–4):
We are facilitating the formation of a
commercial supply chain supporting quantum
sensor module/systems manufacturers. Our
nanofabrication experts, laser developers and
cold-atom specialists are working closely
with The National Physical Laboratory (NPL),
Dstl and companies such as e2v, M Squared,
Kelvin Nanotechnologies Ltd (KNT), Chronos
Technology Ltd and ColdQuanta towards
a paradigm change that transforms the
research-level one-off parts used in current
sensors to step-changing industry-compatible,
mass-producible miniature and cost-effective
underpinning supply chain technologies for
new QT products (WPs1-4). These enabling
laser, vacuum, electronics and packaging
technologies are initially (years two to three)
targeting the existing research market.
Supply Chain
Technologies
Supply Chain and Commercialisation Partners
Our strategy builds on our established
QT knowledge exchange and device
development activities, and comprises
three strands, each split into a number
of work packages (WP):
9
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Work package tasks and deliverables for years one and two. Left-hand dotted arrows indicate the linkage between the four
work package groups. Diamonds show deliverables.
Dec 2014
June 2015
Dec 2015
June 2016
Dec 2016
Bham/Nham refurbishment work completed
Procure capital equipment (tendering done by 1/10/14)
2016 Summer School
Recuit postdoctoral staff and PhD students
Co-ordinate PhD training
T1.1 Fibre laser systems
Deliver PhD modules by Access GRID, using the Hub’s (PhD) broad doctoral training (see Case)
D1.1
Supply chain technologies
T1.2 Laser systems for atom interfermetry
D1.2
T1.3 Laser systems for atom/ion trapping
T2.1 Ion chips and arrays of ion traps
D2.1
T2.2 UHV chambers for sensor prototypes
D2.2
T2.3 Atom chips that use new materials, architectures and production techniques to improve functionality
T2.4 Optical systems with integrated waveguides, splitters, interferometers and couplers
T3.1 Design, make and test semiconductor disk lasers
D3.1
T3.2 Design, make and test fs VECSELs and microresonators
T3.3 Design, make and test frequency combs
T4.1 Inertial stabilisation systems made by additive manufacturing techniques
D4.1
T4.2 3D printing of atom chip base structures
D4.2
T5.1 Develop, calibrate and deliver gravity (and gradient) sensor prototypes
T6.1 Design and make mu-metal shielding
T5.2 Next-generation sensors
Prototyping
T6.2 Design and build optics packages
T6.3 Design and fabricate microcells
D6.3
T6.4 Develop SERF magnetometer and sensor arrays for NPL
T7.1 Build laser, UHV and optics packages, test and optimise laser cooling and trapping systems
D7.1
T7.2 Model, test and optimise waveguides
T7.3 Design, build and experimentally characterise Bragg pulse packages
T8.1 Design, build, test and optimise grating structures, UHV chamber, optics package and laser-cooling system
T9.1 Build and test optical systems and vapour cells and assemble into prototype squeezed-light source
T10.1 Horizon scanning
Market building
T10.2 Promotion activities
T10.3 Demonstrators
T11.1 Develop Operational Matrix for Gravity Gradient Sensor for Civil Engineering
T11.2 Trials with existing geophysical sensors and industry
T11.3 Field trials of gravity (and gradient) sensors for locating utilities, sink holes, minerals
T12.1 Standardisation of components, synchronisation of tasks, and industry-standard documentation across all WPs
Management
Dotted arrows: links between WPs
10
T12.2 Scrutiny of emerging technologies to ensure compatibility, and effective communication, with industry processes
T12.3 Facilitation of business-to-business communication to ensure the formation of a strong supply chain
T13.1 Management and outreach
D9.1
Quantum Technology Hub
11
12
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Research and Innovation Achievements
Deliverables
No
Short description
Due
D1.1
Fibre laser system
May 15
D1.2
…for atom interferometry
November 16
D1.3
…for general laser cooling
November 18
D2.1
Ion chips and arrays of ion traps for WP6
May 16
D2.2
UHV chambers for sensor prototypes
November 16
D2.3
Chip platforms for WP6 and 7
November 17
D2.4
Flat integrated waveguide
November 18
D3.1
1W 461nm and narrow 689 nm lasers for WP8
November 16
D3.2
Lasers for ion trapping in WP6
November 17
D3.3
Compact femtosecond comb system for WP8
May 19
D4.1
Inertial stabilisation system
May 16
D4.2
3D print atom chip base structure
November 16
D4.3
Topologically optimised sensor packages
May 19
D5.1
Gravity gradient interferometer sensor prototype to WP11
May 16
D5.2
Calibration against Herstmonceaux
November 17
D5.3
Microgal gravity sensor to NPL
May 18
D5.4
Demonstration of array operation for gravitational imaging
November 19
D6.1
Cold atom magnetic microscope
November 17
D6.2
Ion array gradient magnetometer
May 18
D6.3
Magnetic sensing microcells to NPL
November 16
D6.4
Magnetic sensing array device
May 19
D7.1
Mini cold atom gyroscope
November 18
D7.2
Rotation sensing decision stage gate
November 17
D7.3
Systems simulation
November 17
D7.4
Compact rotation sensing device
November 19
D8.1
Cold atom microwave clock
November 17
D8.2
Optical clock with a sensitivity of <10-17
November 18
D8.3
…sensitivity of 10-16 in a robust portable version
November 19
D9.1
Flexible compact sources of light
November 16
D9.2
Application to optical tracking set-ups
November 18
D9.3
Noiseless image amplification
July 19
D11.1
Location of underground assets demonstration
November 16
D11.2
Water industry demonstration
November 17
D11.3
Detection of sinkholes demonstration
May 19
Objectives
Objectives
Our overarching objective is to ensure that the Hub’s outputs will have been
picked up by companies, or industry-led Innovate UK projects, by the end of the
funding period. We are pursuing this objective through a systematic programme
comprising the following three key elements and their sub-objectives.
Build a supply chain for quantum
sensor technology
1.1 Deliver wafer-scale processes for
matchbox-sized integrated laser systems
at 780 nm with frequency stabilisation and
internal phase and amplitude modulation
in two configurations: (i) single output
of <100 kHz linewidth and 1W; (ii) 4-6
beam output of <1MHz linewidth and
100 mW each (WP1).
1.2 Develop integrated trapping technology
comprising: (i) ion chips that enable the
storage and interrogation of 2D arrays
of 10x10 ions; (ii) atom chips based on
inverse design techniques for sensors,
in particular also smooth ring traps (WP2).
1.3 Develop the technology to create
self-contained vacuum chambers
for atom/ion trapping, able to hold
<10-10 mbar for >five years without
an active pump (WP2).
1.4 Develop waveguide-to-cm-sized-beam
light couplers (WP2).
Build a set of quantum sensor
and metrology prototypes
2.1 Absolute gravity sensor units with <10l
volume and <1 microgal Hz-1/2 sensitivity
in field operation, which can be combined
to form gravity gradiometer arrays with
shared beam common-mode rejection
and a sensitivity <1 E Hz-1/2 in field
operation (WP5).
Build the market and interlink with
researchers in academia and industry
3.1 Establish UK network on Quantum
Sensors and their Applications (WP10).
2.2 Magnetic sensor systems for brain
function monitoring based on
thermal vapour microcell arrays
with fT Hz-1/2 sensitivity (WP6).
3.3 Run end-user driven, engineering-led
demonstration activities for the developed
sensors (WP10, WP11).
2.3 Magnetic noise rejection sensors
for in-field (no magnetically shielded
room) uses based on ion arrays with
<10pT Hz-1/2 sensitivity (WP6).
2.4 Magnetic microscope with mm field
of view and micrometre resolution
with <10pT Hz-1/2 sensitivity and
bandwidth of ~100 Hz in stroboscopic
operation (WP6).
2.5 Rotation sensor with <10l physics
package and sensitivity 20x10-10 rad
s-1 Hz-1/2 (WP7).
1.5 Develop <5l-sized special lasers for
optical clock and ion trapping operations
including versions operating at: (i) 461 nm,
1W, <10M Hz linewidth; (ii) 689 nm,
100 mW, <1 kHz linewidth (WP3).
2.6 Microwave atomic clock with a size
<1l and 1 in 1013 sensitivity (WP8).
1.6 Develop a <5l-femtosecond frequency
comb system suitable for coherent octavespanning comb generation and optical
clock frequency transfer (WP3).
2.7 Optical atomic frequency standard in
two configurations: (i) <1000l, <1 in
1017 sensitivity; (ii) <10l and 1 in 1016
sensitivity (WP8).
1.7 Deliver additive manufacturing processes
to create inertial stabilisation units,
topologically optimised atom chip mounts
and entire system packages (WP4).
2.8 Multimode squeezed optical light source
for bio-imaging and optical storage
applications with <20l size (WP9).
3.2 Set up and run workshops with policy
makers and industry as well as outreach
events for advocacy for quantum
technologies at all levels (WP10).
The following sections provide detail on the
objectives, deliverable and achievements in
each of the work packages.
13
14
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP1: Lasers and Electronics
Professor Douglas Paul
Work package Leader for Lasers
and Electronics
Professor Douglas Paul
Douglas Paul has MA and PhD degrees from the University of
Cambridge and worked in the Cavendish Laboratory with an EPSRC
Advanced Research Fellowship before moving to the University
of Glasgow in 2007. He became the Director of the James Watt
Nanofabrication Centre in 2010, a position he stepped down from
in November 2015 after receiving an EPSRC Quantum Technology
Fellowship. Under his directorship the Centre became part of the
EPSRC III-V National Facility, the STFC Kelvin-Rutherford Facility
and a strategic partner to Dstl. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of
Edinburgh, a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, a chartered physicist,
a chartered engineer and a Senior Member of the IEEE. In October
2014 he was awarded the President’s Medal from the Institute
of Physics for ‘his outstanding contributions to the translation of
university physics into advanced technology’.
Professor Paul presently sits on a number of government department
committees including the Cabinet Office High Impact Threats Expert
Group and Scientific Expert Group for Emergencies (SAGE), and
previously sat on the Defence Scientific Advisory Council (DSAC),
the Home Office CBRN Scientific Advisory Committee and the
Government Office of Science DTI Foresight Committees. He was
the UK representative to the NATO CBP Science Panel between
2004 and 2008. He was one of the editors for the first Technology
Roadmap on European Nanoelectronics, a significant part of which
is now in the ITRS Roadmap Future Emerging Technology section
and gave evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee panel
on ‘Chips for Everything’. He is presently involved in writing a new
technology roadmap for the EC on ‘Sustainable ICT’ as part of the
ICT Energy network.
His research interests include nanofabrication, quantum technology,
optoelectronics, energy harvesting and sensors. In the UK Quantum
Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology he is leading WP1,
aiming to deliver compact integrated laser systems for the portable
cold atom systems. He is also responsible for developing a UK supply
chain for the technology as part of WP12.
Work Package 1: Lasers and Electronics
The Lasers and Electronics work package
has the aim of delivering a set of DFB laser
diodes for Rb cold atom systems to allow
a wide range of applications to be pursued.
The initial aim is to deliver DFB lasers with
linewidths below 1 MHz to allow the cooling
of the atoms with later developments and
optimisation aimed to increase the output
powers while simultaneously reducing the
linewidths to 100k Hz or less. Electronics for
both current supply and control of the lasers
is also being developed first at the pcb level,
before miniaturisation and integration will be
undertaken where possible. The initial lasers
will be supplied to partners for testing while
optimised systems will be fully integrated
and packaged.
i) GaAs DFB lasers have been delivering
780.24 nm with >25 mW of output per
single facet. Higher power is achieved
when facet coatings and integrated SOA
are implemented.
ii) The DFB lasers are being produced at the
wafer scale and initial sampling indicates
a high yield. Test devices have been sent
to Strathclyde University for evaluation in
cold atom systems.
iii) A new etch stop has been developed
to improve the yield and manufacturability
of the DFB lasers.
iv) Lasers at 780.24 nm have now been
produced from commercial wafers
demonstrating the first steps in a UK supply
The aim for Year two is to achieve DFB
lasers at 780.24 nm with up to 100 mW
output powers and less than 500 kHz
linewidth with power and control electronics.
Commercial packaging solutions are also being
developed to enable complete integrated laser
systems that can ‘plug and play’ into cold atom
systems. The aim is also to provide multiple
laser wavelengths from a single chip to reduce
the overall volume of a complete system.
Multiple approaches are being taken to
achieve this goal.
Etched grating
James Watt Nanofabrication Centre,
University of Glasgow
15
16
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP1 Case Study
Distributed feedback diode lasers for
cold atom systems
At present the majority of commercial lasers
being used in cold atom systems are Ti:Sa
or external cavity lasers which are large,
expensive and require significant power.
The University of Glasgow is undertaking
work to produce distributed feedback (DFB)
diode lasers of only a few mm in length
that could provide a platform technology to
replace all the large laser systems presently
in use for Rb atoms.
The key part of the DFB laser is the grating
(Figure 1), which provides optical feedback
to the laser and only allows a single optical
mode to propagate with the gain required
for lasing (Figure 2).
wavelength. Once selected, the temperature
and current supplied to the device allows
the output wavelength to be tuned over a
few nm. Therefore the final devices require
an external feedback mechanism to tune
and lock the output wavelength to the
correct 780.24 nm required for Rb cold
atom systems. The final devices will be fibre
coupled in a standard telecoms butterfly
package (Figure 3) which will include all the
optical isolators and Peltier cooler control
systems to enable the devices to be used
in complete cold atom systems. Integrated
laser devices are presently being developed
to replace the standard three or four laser
systems with a single butterfly package with
all the required output down a single fibre.
While the design and choice of the epitaxial
material defines a wide range of wavelengths
for operation, the DFB grating requires
nanometre precision to achieve the correct
This work in the James Watt Nanofabrication
Centre at the University of Glasgow is also
being translated into a number of companies
to provide a UK supply chain. The epitaxial
material has been provided by Glasgow
Figure 1
Figure 3
Figure 2
and Sheffield universities in addition
to commercially by IQE in Cardiff.
Kelvin Nanotechnology Ltd is working
with Glasgow on translating devices into
industry, Optocap has been undertaking
the packaging and M Squared Lasers has
been involved in the laser system design
and the electronics. The clear aim is to have
UK companies manufacturing DFB lasers to
power all the Rb cold atom systems being
used for atomic clocks, rotational sensors,
magnetometers and gravimeters that are
being investigated in the UK Quantum
Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology.
For further information contact
Professor Douglas Paul
([email protected]).
Quantum
Technology
Hub
Work Package
2: Atomics
WP2: Atomics
Professor Mark Fromhold
Work package Leader for Atomics
Mark Fromhold is Director of Research for the School of Physics and
Astronomy at The University of Nottingham. He graduated in Physics
from the University of Durham in 1986 and was awarded his PhD
from The University of Nottingham in 1990 for studies of quantum
electronic devices. Following postdoctoral research at the University
of Warwick on heat and charge transport in MOSFET transistors,
Professor Fromhold was appointed Senior Medical Physicist at
Lincoln County Hospital, where he worked on the development and
clinical application of brain mapping and electrophysiology. From
1995 to 2000 he held an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship,
focusing on the quantum properties of semiconductor nanostructures
and ultra-cold atoms – including how to integrate them in hybrid
quantum systems. During this time he held visiting positions at the
University of New South Wales and at the National Research Council
Canada. Professor Fromhold was appointed Lecturer in Physics
at The University of Nottingham in 2000, with promotion to Reader
in 2002 and Professor in 2004.
Building on his research at the interface between solid-state
and ultra-cold atom physics, he led the £9 million 2006 EPSRC/
HEFCE Science and Innovation Award to establish the Midlands
Ultracold Atom Research Centre (MUARC). This joint venture
between the universities of Birmingham and Nottingham provides
an interdisciplinary environment for cold atom-based quantum
science and technologies.
Professor Fromhold’s research interests include the development
and integration of electronic, cold atom and optical systems as
components for quantum sensors. Working with Dstl and the National
Physical Laboratory, and exploiting results from previous EPSRC
and Innovate UK projects, he is presently investigating the use of
advanced materials and quantum electronics in next-generation
atom chips for cold atom sensors.
With e2v, he is developing atom traps for scalable manufacture
as a platform for quantum sensor technologies.
Professor Mark Fromhold
17
18
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
The Atomics package is developing supply
chain technologies in the form of components
and sub-systems, which combine to create the
necessary environment for the trapping, cooling
and transport of ions, cold atoms and Bose
Einstein condensates. This requires the design
and development of a range of components
and sub-systems:
 Sources of the ions or atoms that will
be trapped
 Vacuum chambers, which contain the atoms
and ions in a low-noise environment
 Devices that produce the magnetic or
electric fields required to trap, cool and
move the atoms or ions
 Optical interfaces that will direct and control
laser beams for trapping and measuring the
atoms or ions
The work package involves combining
these components into a single assembly,
or integrated atom/ion source, which can
be used by the prototyping work packages
to develop sensor-specific production
prototype technologies.
Atomics package components, sub-systems
and associated assemblies, such as compact
atom chips, will facilitate the formation of a
commercial supply chain supporting quantum
sensor module and systems manufacturers.
This will, in turn, support a move away from the
production of one-off bespoke components,
for use in research environments, towards
industry-compatible, mass-producible
components for new QT products.
 Creation and operation of the Nottingham
Rapid Prototyping Centre. This 100m2
facility enables the co-location and fast
turnaround iteration of: the fabrication and
assembly of atom/ion traps and integrated
optics; the integration of the components
into the UHV chambers; testing the
operation of these assemblies for the
trapping and controlled manipulation of
ultra-cold atoms and ions. The e2v Cold
Atom Laboratory has been set up to
enable industry assessment of cold
atom vacuum chambers.
 Design, fabrication and testing of UHV
vacuum chambers spanning the millilitre
to microlitre volumes and including the
integration of multiple feedthroughs. This
has drawn on project partner e2v’s longstanding expertise and infrastructure for
UHV development. Systems engineering
analysis of these UHV chambers has
informed the design and specification of
associated magnetic trapping structures.
 Design, molecular beam epitaxial growth
and AFM/optical characterisation of
III-V semiconductor layer structures as a
platform for integrated optical components
operating at 780 nm. Simulations of the
device enclosures and thermal behaviour
have been undertaken to enable commercial
packaging of them by a UK company.
AFM image of a GaAs/(AlGa)As wafer for integrated
optical components (Drs Richard Campion, Jessica
Maclean, Chris Mellor)
 Development of multiphysics simulation
software, design, fabrication and testing
of magneto-optical traps and atom chips,
spanning a range of geometries, scales,
materials and operating regimes as
required by the prototyping work packages.
This work has involved close collaboration
with industry partners and government
laboratories. IP disclosure and evaluation
for further IP development is currently
underway.
Electromagnetic field pattern of a laser beam splitter
simulated using Optiwave software (courtesy of Drs
Jessica Maclean and Mark Greenaway)
 Design and multiphysics simulation of multirail ion traps to increase greatly the number
of trapped ions and permit local and global
micromotion control of them.
The immediate plans for this work package are
to complete the procurement and installation
of capital items required to successfully deliver
the supply chain components required by
the prototyping work packages and the UK
National Quantum Technologies Programme
as a whole. This includes commissioning a
mask aligner and ion beam miller to enable the
Nottingham Rapid Prototyping Centre to make
next-generation atom/ion chip and integrated
optical components. A key deliverable for the
next stage of the work package activity is to
complete the design, computer modelling,
and initial fabrication of the ion chips and
arrays of ion traps required for the WP6
magnetic sensor prototyping activities. We will
also continue to develop the millilitre vacuum
chambers and vacuum cells required to house
the electrical, atomic and optical components
of the sensor prototypes.
To support the operation of the Hub as a whole,
we will undertake component-level systems
engineering activities including more detailed
analysis of the magnetic field and interface
requirements of the atom trapping structures.
In addition to promoting the standardisation
of components and specifications for the full
range of sensor prototypes, this approach will
also assist with the drafting of component and
sub-system level documentation – as required
to promote the sharing of ideas and capabilities
throughout the UK National Quantum
Technologies Programme. These are essential
elements of rapid and effective technology
transfer. Based on the results of our integrated
programme of design, theory and modelling,
fabrication and component assembly, we will
plan the work package activities for Years 3–5
of the Hub’s technology development.
Work Package 2: Atomics
WP2 Case Study
Spotlight on miniaturised
vacuum systems
Ultra-cold atoms and ions are a unique and
versatile resource for quantum technology.
This is due to the intrinsically quantummechanical nature of their interactions with
electromagnetic radiation. Such interactions
lead to some of the purest quantum effects
ever observed, including Bose-Einstein
condensation of ultra-cold atoms and
entanglement. Isolating the atoms and ions
from their noisy ‘classical’ environment
requires trapping them at the centre of an
ultra-high vacuum chamber. This ensures
minimal interaction between the trapped
particles and their environment, and prevents
atomic quantum wavefunctions from
collapsing to a classical state (decoherence).
Clear separation between the environment
and the ultra-cold atoms also avoids
the need for cryogenic cooling systems.
Standard vacuum systems – stainless
steel chambers, viewports and pumps –
are bulky, typically with internal dimensions
on the scale of tens of centimetres,
and consume hundreds of watts of power
to maintain the extremely low internal
pressures required. However, most present
experiments and emerging technological
applications for ultra-cold atoms and
ions only require vacuum environments
of order cubic cm. Consequently,
miniaturisation of vacuum systems is an
essential pathway to mature quantum
technologies, reducing power requirements,
decreasing production resources and
supporting the miniaturisation of larger
quantum sensor systems.
Translating ultra-cold atom and ion applications
from the laboratory into the end-user communities
therefore requires a new approach for developing
and maintaining ultra-high vacuums in which
size, weight and power become key engineering
requirements. The UK Quantum Technology
Hub for Sensors and Metrology is following two
avenues of technology development in this area.
Microlitre vacuum chambers are being
microfabricated from structured silicon and
glass plates, reducing the chamber to the
smallest practical scale and allowing
multiple ‘vacuum cells’ to be placed on
a wafer. These cells are hermetically
sealed and include only passive-pumping
thin-film getters.
Figure 1. Molybdenum vacuum chamber with
two optical viewports manufactured by e2v,
Chelmsford (courtesy of Dr Paul John)
Figure 2. Schematic of silicon wafer vacuum
chamber with optical window and quarter
waveplate (courtesy of Dr Matt Himsworth)
Millilitre vacuum chambers. These are
formed of titanium chambers and brazed
optical viewports. The chambers are evacuated
and permanently sealed. After that, they use
a small ion pump to maintain the vacuum.
They do not require any power to remain
evacuated for several years and are thus
ideally suited for use in atom chips and as
part of a chip-based integrated magnetooptical trap (MOT). The integrated MOT
will include vapour control elements,
integrated optics and electrical feedthroughs
to power the atom chip. The small
dimensions of the vacuum cell reduce power
requirements for magnetic trapping and bias
fields and can be powered from a singlecell battery. A spin-off application for this
research includes room temperature vapour
cells for chip-scale atomic clocks. This
research is being pioneered by the University
of Southampton.
The choice of materials and proper vacuum
processing ensures minimal outgassing
from the chamber surfaces, and thus only a
small ion pump is required to maintain a high
vacuum. Brazing optical viewports avoids
the issues of mechanically sealed flanges,
allowing large optical access areas with
minimal sealing. These chambers are being
developed by e2v, building on their decades
of know-how on vacuum valve and RF
amplifier technology.
19
20
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP3: Special Lasers
Dr Jennifer Hastie
Work package Leader for Special Lasers
Management Board Member, Research Team
Leader, Institute of Photonics, University
of Strathclyde
Jennifer Hastie joined Strathclyde’s Institute of Photonics as a PhD
student in 2000. In 2004, she was awarded a five-year research
fellowship by the Royal Academy of Engineering to develop
visible and ultraviolet semiconductor disk lasers for applications in
biophotonics. Since 2012, she has led the Institute’s research on
semiconductor disk lasers and jointly led the lasers research theme.
She is a senior member of the Optical Society of America and the
IEEE, and in 2011 was appointed a member of the Young Academy
of Scotland.
Dr Jennifer Hastie
Dr Hastie currently holds an EPSRC Challenging Engineering Award
on wavelength flexible yet narrow linewidth semiconductor disk lasers
for applications including metrology and lithography. This work led
directly to a fruitful collaboration with Hub Director Professor Kai
Bongs of the University of Birmingham to develop lasers for optical
clocks, and hence led on to her involvement in the Hub.
The current project for Dr Hastie and her team within the Hub
programme is to develop narrow linewidth lasers in the blue and
red spectral region that are suitable for inclusion within a strontium
optical clock. This involves engineering lasers to work at very
specific wavelengths that are not trivial to obtain, and then using
sophisticated electronics to lock the laser output such that it drives
specific transitions within the strontium atoms. Dr Hastie also leads
the wider Hub work package that is charged with delivering these red
and blue lasers plus a tailored optical frequency comb system. This
frequency comb project is a collaboration between the universities
of Southampton (Professor Anne Tropper) and Sussex (Dr Alessia
Pasquazi and Dr Marco Peccianti).
Dr Hastie’s work on semiconductor disk lasers for quantum
technology contributed to a recent Innovate UK award led by
M Squared Lasers Ltd in collaboration with Strathclyde and the
Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (CAP).
Work Package 3: Special Lasers
Aims:
The aim of this work package is to provide
lasers for selected quantum sensor systems,
where the required specification lies outside
WP1. These lasers will use optically pumped
VECSEL technology, which for some
applications is displacing high-power solidstate laser systems due to its compactness,
robustness, low noise and spectral flexibility.
We are developing compact 1-W intracavitydoubled blue sources and narrow linewidth
red sources for the Sr atomic clock systems
of WP8 (D3.1, D3.3–3.7), building on the
pioneering VECSEL work of the University of
Strathclyde. We aim further to develop the first
portable femtosecond frequency comb (D3.2,
3.8, 3.9), based on the micro-ring resonator
expertise of the University of Sussex and
powered by the ultrafast VECSEL technology
introduced by the University of Southampton.
An analysis of the market for these sources will
inform the eventual transfer of the technology to
commercialisation partners such as M Squared
Lasers and ColdQuanta. The Fraunhofer CAP
will facilitate this process.
Key results to date:
The University of Strathclyde’s testing of
existing blue semiconductor disk laser
structures for laser cooling of Sr is underway.
New structures have been designed and
growth is underway for imminent delivery.
Strathclyde’s development of a red
semiconductor disk laser for laser cooling
of Sr has achieved over 100 mW at a relative
linewidth of less than 5 kHz at 689 nm. This
laser has been implemented in an initial cooling
experiment at the University of Birmingham.
The University of Southampton’s portable
fs VECSEL with sub-ps pulse duration has
been constructed on breadboard with a cavity
volume of less than 5 litres. The pulse duration
is 250 fs and the average power is greater than
100 mW.
The universities of Sussex and Southampton
have achieved the following key results in
their steps towards the development of a
femtosecond frequency comb:
E
xperimental study of the resonator
parameters (Sussex)
• new set of 50 GHz microcavity samples
have been designed and fabricated
• free space nonlinear quadratic cavities
have been designed and built
• linear characterisation of
microcavity completed
I
nstalling the phase diagnostic for the
micro-combs (Sussex)
• preliminary diagnostic with interferometric
setup for the comb working
• CW laser purchased
T
esting of micro-comb phase diagnostic
using existing 200 GHz laser (Sussex)
• special amplifiers purchased
• laser built with standard amplifiers ready
for stabilisation
• 200 GHz resonators and 50 GHz
resonators have been tested
N
ew characterisation facility for laser
gain and SESAM chips (Southampton)
• experimental determination of gain and
linear absorption spectra
• absolute precision is better than 0.1%
• tunable narrow-band titanium
sapphire laser
FROG measurement (Southampton)
• shows cubic phase variation in
<200 fs pulse
• oral presentation given at VECSELs VI,
Photonics West 2016 by Dr Robin Head
N
onlinear characterisation of VECSEL chips
(Sussex and Southampton)
• collaboration: Southampton accessing
Sussex Chameleon/OPO system
• first spectral determination of SESAM
saturation fluence
• first spectral determination of gain chip
nonlinear lensing
• oral presentation at VECSELs VI,
Photonics West 2016 by PGR Ed Shaw
Plans for 2016
The University of Strathclyde’s work on blue
semiconductor disk lasers for Sr cooling will
aim to:
 Improve mechanical stability and narrow
linewidth further to around 1 kHz
 Undertake further cooling experiments
at the University of Birmingham
 Demonstrate high power operation at 922 nm
 Frequency double to 461 nm
Target: >1 W with a linewidth < 10 MHz
Strathclyde’s work on red semiconductor
disk lasers for Sr cooling will aim to:
 Improve mechanical stability to reduce
linewidth to around 1 kHz
 Undertake further cooling experiments
at the University of Birmingham
The universities of Sussex and Southampton’s
development of a femtosecond frequency
comb will:
 Experimentally study the resonator
parameters and test free space quadratic
cavities
 Install the phase diagnostic for the microcombs and test the full diagnostic (using
CW lasers)
Test micro-comb phase diagnostic/
200 GHz laser
• stabilise the laser using new amplifiers
•c
oherence study of microcomb laser
against diagnostics
Measure phase evolution of VECSEL
micro-comb
•c
oherence study of VECSEL laser against
phase diagnostic
Build and characterise dual grating pulse
compressor/stretcher
•m
easure SESAM saturation as a function
of pulse duration
•m
easure nonlinear lensing as a function
of pulse duration
Build a model for numerical simulation
of mode-locking
• a ssess feasibility of accessing 100 fs
regime with existing structures
•e
stimate greatest accessible pulse energy
at shortest durations
Source laser chips
• a ssess specification for chips for
increased pulse peak power
•e
xplore additional avenues for chip
procurement
21
22
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Work Package 3: Special Lasers
WP3 Case Study
Towards a portable frequency comb
One ambitious object of the UK Quantum
Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology
is to make strides towards realising the firstever portable frequency comb. The principle
of the frequency comb was introduced and
demonstrated by Ted Hänsch, who won the
2006 Nobel Prize for Physics as a result.
semiconductor laser; [Soton: Nat. Phot. 3,
729 (2009); Opt. Exp. 21 1599 (2013)], and
demonstration of the world’s first micro-ring
femtosecond combs [Sussex: Nat. Commun.
3, 756, 2011, Patent US 20130156051 A1].
new broadband laser gain chip design
shown schematically in Figure 1, based
on four quantum-well pairs combined with
a single-layer dielectric Al2O3 overlay for
dispersion management.
Capital investment from the Hub had
enabled Robin to make an experimental
measurement of the exceptionally broad
gain bandwidth, over 50 nm, exhibited by this
chip: the spectral gain profiles are shown in
Figure 2 for various values of incident pump
power. Robin was able to report a new
peak-power record for a sub 200 fs pulse
VECSEL based on this chip: the intensity
autocorrelation and optical spectrum of
the pulse train are shown in Figures 3a
and 3b, respectively.
Our plan of attack in the Special Lasers
work package is to develop a femtosecond
mode-locked semiconductor laser emitting
optical pulses that are so short, intense and
clean that they can drive the generation of a
coherent comb of optical frequency modes
in a micro-ring resonator. The semiconductor
laser can work with a cavity of an order
of magnitude smaller than its solid-state
counterpart: the micro-ring resonator has
a tiny footprint compared to the reel of
photonic crystal fibre in which a conventional
comb is generated.
A particular challenge that we face is to
achieve consistent, stable, reproducible
performance from our femtosecond
semiconductor lasers: the optical pulseforming processes are sensitive to tiny
variations in thickness of the multilayer
surface-emitting semiconductor structures,
and the active areas are exposed to
extreme optical fluences. Robin Head, the
QT Hub Fellow working on these lasers
at Southampton, is a researcher who has
thought extensively about these issues. In the
year before the start of the Hub, Robin was
employed as an EPSRC-funded Knowledge
Transfer Secondment Fellow with M Squared
Lasers of Glasgow, on a project that aimed
‘to bridge the gap between the performance
of the highly selected and tweaked lasers
demonstrated in a university laboratory,
and the performance that can be realised
in an industrial innovation laboratory from
devices that must meet stringent standards
of lifetime, robustness and yield’. With
capital investment from the Hub, Robin has
been able to set up a comprehensive suite
of characterisation tools, enabling him to
track the optical signature of small chip-tochip structure variations that affect ultrafast
performance significantly.
The experience that we bring to this task
includes achievement of world records
for the shortest pulse duration and
greatest peak power observed from any
In February this year, Robin presented the
first findings enabled by these tools, at the
Photonics West VECSELs VI conference in
San Francisco. In his talk he described the
His work made it possible for the first time to
count optical frequencies directly, conferring
a measurement precision that could be 1
part in 1,015 or better. When combined with
cold atom clocks and sensors, frequency
combs offer formidable measurement
capability. The combs in use to date,
however, are very far from portable. They
are based on femtosecond mode-locked
solid-state lasers, with optical cavities many
tens of centimetres long, together with bulky
counting and stabilisation electronics.
The QT Hub offers Robin the opportunity
to continue interacting with engineers at
M Squared Lasers, as industry partners
with deep knowledge of the external cavity
sources (VECSELs) featured in the Special
Lasers work package. M Squared has,
moreover, pioneered the commercialisation
of ultrafast VECSELs, gaining a unique
viewpoint on the challenges involved.
The Hub in its turn can now offer M
Squared Lasers access to the suite of chip
characterisation techniques that Robin has
developed. VECSELs have already displaced
solid-state green sources as low-noise
pump lasers: it remains to be seen
whether they will be equally disruptive
in the ultrafast domain.
With the array of resources assembled
one year into the QT Hub programme,
the prospects look interesting.
Figure 1. Schematic of
surface-emitting gain chip
design with 8 InGaAs/
GaAs quantum wells
23
24
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Figure 2. Measured gain chip reflectivity
versus wavelength for incident pump powers
from 0 to 30 W
Figure 3a. Intensity autocorrelation
of optical pulse train with fit to 193 fs
hyperbolic secant profile
Figure 3b. Optical spectrum of
pulse train
Quantum
Technology
Hub
Work Package
4: Systems
Packaging
WP4: Systems Packaging
Professor Moataz Attallah
Work package Leader for Systems Packaging,
and Leader of the Advanced Materials Processing
Lab (AMPLAB) at the IRC in Materials Processing,
School of Metallurgy and Materials, University
of Birmingham
Moataz Attallah is a Professor of advanced materials processing.
He received his PhD in Metallurgy and Materials from the University
of Birmingham in the field of friction joining of aluminium alloys in
2007. He performed his postdoctoral research at the University of
Manchester, until his appointment as a lecturer of advanced materials
processing at the University of Birmingham in 2010.
His research portfolio over the past 15 years has been focused
on studying the advanced manufacturing technologies, specifically
metal 3D printing technologies, friction-based welding and powder
processing. His research is performed in close collaboration with
a large number of industrial end users in the aerospace, defence,
nuclear and general engineering sectors. He leads the 35-researcher
strong Advanced Materials and Processing Group (AMPLab) at the
University of Birmingham.
AMPLab is based within the School of Metallurgy and Materials,
and it is set up with manufacturing-scale facilities for additive
manufacturing, powder processing, heat treatment and laser
processing, which enables the rapid maturation of the technology
within an academic setting. AMPLab’s research has received a
number of awards from the UK Ministry of Defence and Safran Group
(France) on the development of a processing route using metal 3D
printing for high temperature aero-engine components.
Professor Moataz Attallah
25
26
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Packaging the entire sensor currently requires
a substantial manufacturing effort with
significant compromises owing to machinability.
To overcome these limitations, we bring
together advanced manufacturing expertise
from the national EPSRC Centre for Innovative
Manufacturing in Additive Manufacturing
(University of Nottingham) and the
Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Materials
Processing (University of Birmingham). We
will use appropriate manufacturing techniques
to service the needs of the prototyping work
packages and demonstrators, including
delivering inertial stabilisation systems (D4.1,
M18, Birmingham), 3D printed atom-chip base
structures (D4.2, M24, Nottingham) designed
using Nottingham’s MRI expertise in inverse
methods, and topologically optimised sensor
packages including magnetic shields (D4.3,
M54, Birmingham).
In this project, Professor Attallah and Dr
Youssef Gaber are aiming at expanding the
use of metal 3D printing beyond the traditionally
used materials, into functional materials
that can be employed within the quantum
metrology field. This includes materials with low
coefficient of thermal explansion (Invar36) and
high magnetic permeability alloys (permalloy).
Future work will focus on using the advanced
process optimisation and geometrical
(topology) optimisation tools to maximise the
benefit from additive manufacturing in terms
of the functionality of the structures, creating
lighter structures with improved functionality.
SLM 500 HL Laser
 The largest selective laser melting
additive manufacturing machine in the
UK, and the first with four lasers (SLM
500 HL) has been purchased, installed
and commissioned at the University
of Birmingham, providing facilities to
manufacture components of up to
500x280x325 mm, with improved
parameters for processing of Al, Ti,
Ni and Fe
 Simpleware® software for topology
optimisation has been purchased, and is
available for redesigning structures to make
full use of the flexibility of additive layer
manufacturing techniques
 Process optimisation and characterisation
of additive manufacturing of Invar36
(FeNi36), which has a low coefficient
of thermal expansion (CTE), has been
completed, investigating effects of
processing parameters on microstructure,
porosity, CTE and mechanical properties
 Trials to create in-situ alloys of Al-Si
have been completed, allowing the
creation of structures with tailored CTEs,
without relying on a supply of specific alloys
 The use of additive manufactured
Permalloy-80 (Ni-5Mo-15Fe) for magnetic
shielding is under investigation. The effects
of processing parameters on magnetic
permeability, coercivity, uniformity and
mechanical properties before and after heat
treatment are being assessed, so that the
optimum manufacturing conditions can
be identified
 An inertial stabilisation system has been
designed, prototyped and programmed for
use with gravity sensors. This uses three
actuators for levelling, based on input on
acceleration, gyroscope, magnetometer,
humidity and barometer
‘My expertise is in the growth of group IIInitrides by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
I have recently installed at Nottingham a
new high-temperature MBE system for
the growth of graphene and BN layers.
The standard dual GENxplor has been
specially modified by Veeco to achieve
growth temperatures of up to 1,850°C in
high vacuum conditions and is capable of
growth on substrates of up to three inches
in diameter. In the QT Hub I am supervising
activities on the MBE growth of graphene
layers, as part of the Systems Package.’
Professor Sergei Novikov,
The University of Nottingham
Work Package 4: Systems Packaging
WP4 Case Study
3D printing of magnetic shielding
housings
One of the main goals of the Quantum Hub
is to develop portable sensors based on cold
atoms for applications in gravity gradiometry,
time keeping and magnetometry, and so
forth. However, factors like temperature
variations, accelerations and external
magnetic fields impose a significant
challenge to sensor stability and
performance. The focus of this project is
to explore the potential of exploiting a 3D
printing technique in the fabrication of
magnetic shielding housings for quantum
sensor applications.
External magnetic fields can affect the atoms
significantly, either on their internal energy
levels or their trajectory via Zeeman shifts
and dipole moment interactions, respectively.
For this reason, magnetic shielding on the
sensor’s measurement region is of high
importance. Traditionally, this is achieved by
shells/housings made of a high permeability
magnetic material known as mu-metal.
Mu-metal is the name of the Fe-Ni based
family of materials demonstrating high
relative magnetic permeabilities, typically
of the order of r~106.
Although it is impossible to block/remove a
present magnetic field, a high permeability
material can provide an easier path for
the incoming magnetic flux and divert
it away from the region to be shielded.
However, these materials are manufactured
in basic geometries due to difficulties in
their treatment. As our focus is on the
development of miniaturised mobile quantum
sensors, the possibility of using a quick
and flexible technique to 3D print compact
magnetic shields which could adapt to
complex sensor geometries, and allow for
easy integration, is of great interest.
Initially, 17 small cylindrical test samples and
six cylindrical shells (see Figure 1)
were produced from permalloy by using
the selective laser melting (SLM) technique.
Each sample was fabricated under different
SLM parameters in the printing process,
which are known to have different effects
on the material’s microstructure and
therefore on its magnetic properties [1].
A characteristic measure of magnetic shield
performance is the amplitude ratio of the
magnetic field outside the shield, over the
residual field measured inside the shield,
known as shielding factor S(=Bout/Bin).
Results of shielding measurements on the
produced cylindrical shells are shown in
Figure 2. The shielding factor was measured
along the cylinder axis under different
amplitudes of applied external field.
Figure 1(a) and 1(b). Two different types of
cylindrical shield samples were produced by SLM.
One has open ends and one has closed ends
providing one-side access for magnetic sensor.
The results showed maximum shielding
factor values close to 14 for the open
cylinder prototype and around 25 for the
closed cylinder. However, the optimum
SLM parameters were not defined yet
at that stage and no annealing or other
treatment was performed on the samples.
Furthermore, apart from the material
properties, the shielding factor is also
a function of the shell’s geometrical
proportions which were not close to
the optimum for the initial test samples.
Magnetic characterisation of the 17 small
samples on vibrating sample magnetometer
(VSM) indicated permeability values (r) close
to 10, for the best samples.
The next step is to heat treat the produced
samples under high hydrostatic pressure
and repeat the previous measurements.
The expected result is an increase in
magnetic permeability due to the relief of
the internal stresses among the material’s
magnetic domains created during fabrication
and the decrease of porosity. Once the
optimum process parameters are defined,
a final shield prototype will be produced
and tested as a proof of principle of
this technique for future mobile quantumsensor applications.
Figure 2. Shielding factor along cylinder axis
for a sample with (above) open ends and
(below) closed ends under different external
field amplitudes, respectively.
Ref. [1] Zhang, Baicheng, et al. ‘Studies of
magnetic properties of permalloy (Fe–30%
Ni) prepared by SLM technology.’ Journal
of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 324.4
(2012): 495–500.
27
28
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP5: Gravity Sensing
Professor Kai Bongs
Work package Leader for Gravity Sensing
Principal Investigator, Hub Director and Head of
Quantum Matter, the University of Birmingham
Professor Kai Bongs
Professor Bongs’ long-standing interest in precision measurements
was sparked by his diploma work on laser interferometers for
gravitational wave detection in the group of Professor Karsten
Danzmann at the Leibniz University of Hannover. After obtaining his
diploma in 1995, he moved to do a PhD in atom optics under the
supervision of Professor Wolfgang Ertmer at the same institution,
earning his degree in 1999. He spent two years with Mark Kasevich
at Yale University, starting work on mobile atom interferometers for
gravity gradient detection. Moving to Hamburg University he obtained
a habilitation in 2006 and the right to lecture as Privatdozent in 2007,
working in the fields of quantum gas mixtures and Bose-Einstein
condensation in microgravity. In 2007 he was appointed chair in
Cold Atoms at the University of Birmingham, where he is leading
the Quantum Matter group. He is the Director of the UK Quantum
Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology, where he is also leading
WP5 on gravity sensors.
His research interests are in the manipulation of cold atoms with light
for quantum simulation and quantum sensors. He is fascinated by the
use of ultra-precise quantum sensors for both fundamental physics
in the understanding of the interface between general relativity and
quantum mechanics as well as real-world applications in gravity
sensing ranging from civil engineering, oil and mineral exploration to
navigation, climate and ground water data.
His goal in the UK NQT Hub in Sensors and Metrology is to push
the boundaries of precision gravity measurement with robust userfriendly devices. With his team and team leader Mike Holynski, he
is developing demonstrators enabling a novel way of seeing into
the ground, with the potential to revolutionise how we see our
world, develop and maintain underground space and use its natural
resources.
The importance of this work is recognised by over 40 Hub partner
companies interested in harnessing benefits from gravity sensors for
their business.
Work Package 5: Gravity Sensing
To push towards these benefits, we have
a strong focus on enabling the supply chain
development of the Hub. Key to this is the
Technology Transfer Centre (TTC), a new
facility which allows our partners from across
the Hub, both in academia and industry, to colocate with our team in work spaces dedicated
to each of the key supply chain technologies.
This provides exceptional opportunities
for knowledge transfer, but also creates
interdisciplinary solutions to issues that reside
between science and technology. The TTC
is supported by our two test-bed gravimeter
systems, which are used for validating new
technologies and techniques as they become
available. This allows rapid iterations between
development and validation, accelerating
the process of bringing new technologies
to fruition. The atmosphere and capabilities
provided by the TTC will then provide an
environment in which quantum technology
can flourish, speeding it towards where
it needs to be – delivering benefits in
real-world applications.
The Technology Transfer Centre,
now home to both the management
and Work Package 5 science teams
Signal (mV)
Enabling the supply chain
Although our demonstrators are already
beginning to leave the laboratory, many of the
applications of our devices will require further
increases in portability and robustness. For
example, when moving from the geophysics
to the civil engineering sector there is a
stronger focus on working in more challenging
environments and long-term goals; thus many
applications would benefit from hand-held
systems that can be operated without
specialist expertise.
Demonstrating applications of quantum
gravity sensing
Of prime importance to our work package is
not only creating working sensors, but also
getting them out and proving that they will
benefit end users. This means developing
sensors that are not only highly sensitive, but
are also robust enough to be used in the real
environments of interest. To achieve this we
are currently developing our next generation of
demonstrators without our gravimeter prototype
aiming at sensitivities of 1ng/√Hz and our
gradiometer prototype aiming at 1E/√Hz,
currently using sensor head packages having
a footprint Ø15 cm by 50 cm, a weight of 12 kg
and power consumption of less than 50 W.
Our first prototypes are already leaving the
laboratory, informing the implementation of our
next-generation systems and demonstrating
cold atom technology both across the UK and
overseas. In the coming months we will be
taking our first quantum sensors into the field.
Phase (wave)
Key achievements to date
 Establishment of the Technology Transfer
Centre and relocation into the new space
 Measurements of gravity and commissioning
of technology test-bed
 Completion of cold atom demonstrator
prototypes
 Implementation of our next generation of
lasers, control and physics systems
 Numerous cold atom demonstration
activities to a range of audiences
 Strong industry engagement through
project work, enabled through Innovate
UK and Dstl
 Publication, commentary: Nature Physics
11, 615–617 (2015)
Next stage of work
The next period will be an exciting time within
our work package, with a keen focus on
engagement and field demonstrations. In the
TTC, we will be focusing on building further
collaborations with partners and engaging
with them on projects. In particular, with our
gravimeter technology test-bed operational,
we are ready for collaborators to bring their
devices in for validation and to facilitate rapid
iterations in development and validation.
Meanwhile, we will be working with Work
Package 11 to take our sensors out of the
laboratory for field demonstrations starting in
May 2016 – working alongside civil engineers
to benchmark the performance of our systems
in applications. This will see a focus on
our gradiometer systems targeting drastic
improvements in resilience versus environment
noise – thus demonstrating benefits over
existing technology for applications in
challenging conditions.
Signal (mV)
The goal of our work package is to translate
quantum technology-based gravity sensors
out of the laboratory, and into commercially
relevant applications. To achieve this, our
work focuses on two key strands: enabling
the development of supply-chain technologies
and demonstrating applications in relevant
environments. These two linked activities both
strive to increase the technology readiness of
our sensors, translating them into commercial
devices such that they can deliver benefits to
a range of markets.
Phase (wave)
Atom interferometry
fringes from our
technology test-bed
gravimeter
29
30
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP5 Case Study
Taking cold atoms out of the laboratory
Our first attempt at taking a cold atom system
out of the laboratory took place in September
2013, when a small team worked tirelessly
to create the coldest place in Lithuania for
the ICT2013 conference. Over the last year
things have progressed greatly, with us
completing a further 19 successful cold
atom demonstrations outside Birmingham
between February 2015 and April 2016.
This started with us taking our iSense
gravimeter to Brussels, demonstrating
portable atom interferometry outside the
laboratory, and progressed into the prototype
for our next-generation gravity sensor.
The year has seen our systems progress
from a van-full of equipment set up by a few
people, to something that a single person
can simply place in their car boot – or even
into hold luggage on a commercial plane
– and have running within 15 minutes of
arriving. These strides in portability have been
achieved through our focus on compacting
and increasing the robustness of the various
components of the system. For example,
the laser system has migrated from three
lasers taking up upwards of 60 litres, to a
single hub laser occupying roughly the same
space as a 19” laptop. This is not only more
portable, but the use of telecordia grade
components has drastically improved the
robustness and stability. Meanwhile, the core
physics package has shrunk to just a few
litres and has been made much more resilient
against misalignment and environmental
factors such as temperature fluctuations.
These demonstrations allow us to actually show
the technology, fascinating schoolchildren,
informing policy makers and engaging with
industry. Seeing the technology running in
person helps people to directly connect,
showing them that quantum technology is
something of real relevance – rather than
something remote or decades away.
However, using these technologies outside
the laboratory also continuously informs the
process of improving our sensor systems,
showing us what needs to be improved for
further gains in portability and performance.
Although it has been an exciting year, we
believe the next will be even better – with our
sensors scheduled for experimental operation
outside the laboratory from May 2016 onward.
Royal Society, London
Glasgow
Edinburgh
Loughborough
Birmingham
UK Parliament, Westminster
Oxford
Porton Down
Milton Keynes
London
Windsor
Brussels
EU Parliament, Brussels
Lisbon
ICT2015, Lisbon
Gravimeter demonstrations
February 2015–April 2016
Work Package
Quantum
6: Magnetic
Technology
Sensors
Hub
WP6: Magnetic Sensors
Professor Peter Krüger
Work package Leader for Magnetic Sensors
Chair of Cold Atom Physics and Quantum Optics
at The University of Nottingham
Professor Peter Krüger has studied at the Free University of Berlin,
the University of Innsbruck and the University of Heidelberg, and was
a Marie Curie fellow at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. He
has undertaken pioneering work on the development of atom chips,
integrated devices analogous to the ubiquitous electronic microchip,
allowing the creation and study of atomic quantum gases.
He is the scientific leader of the Midlands Ultracold Atom Research
Centre and the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and
Metrology at Nottingham. His research focuses on the microscopic
control and manipulation of ultra-cold atomic gases with optical
and magnetic fields. His current interests continue to span fields
ranging from fundamental physics questions to translational
applied technology. He continues to develop key contributions
to the understanding of complex quantum systems, including
thermalisation in one-dimensional, and phase transitions in twodimensional systems.
He has introduced several schemes to facilitate technology
development for coherent atom-optical devices, including
waveguides, beam splitters and interferometers, as well as
compact cold atom sources integrating photonic, electronic
and atomic components.
Beyond these ongoing activities, current quantum sensor work
includes optical magnetometry, magnetic microscopy based on his
invention of a cold atom microscope, and accelerometers (gravity
and rotation sensors). Professor Krüger’s work has been published
in a wide range of topical and interdisciplinary journals, has received
4,000 citations and he has received awards from the Humboldt
Foundation and the European Union.
Professor Peter Krüger
31
32
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Work Package 6 is developing precise
magnetic sensors that operate from micron
levels of fidelity to macroscopic scales. As a
prototyping work package, the WP continues
to drive technology translation to mature
quantum sensor module/systems via proofof-principle demonstration and subsequent
development into production prototypes.
The work package is developing a cold atom
magnetic microscope for 1D-imaging on mmscales with micron resolution and stroboscopic
analysis of dynamic processes as well as an
ion array gradient magnetometer device for
mm-cm scale with noise suppression. Further
investigation is seeking to develop applications
of the cold atom microscope in the functional
imaging and characterisation of electronic
devices and materials.
The work package is also investigating the
development of cm-scale magnetic sensing
using thermal atoms in microcells. This
activity is being undertaken with NPL, with
the objective of a joint development into an
array device. The use of thermal microcells as
a potential replacement for SQUIDS in MEG
systems is being developed at The University
of Nottingham (Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic
Resonance Centre, Brookes/Bowtell), working
with Hub partner Romalis at Princeton and the
University of Birmingham School of Psychology.
The results achieved to date are:
 Microscope infrastructure in place
(>108 atom Rb gases at 20 microK
routinely produced)
 Multi-layer printed-circuit board for
near-surface atom cooling and transport
to multiple sample regions designed,
produced by Hughes Circuits
(California-based company) and
tested for UHV compatibility
 First set of samples prepared for
microscopy: free-standing graphene
(Rutgers University collaboration), silicon
carbide substrate graphene wire-structures
(Chalmers/NPL), nano-structured silicon
nitride membranes (10nm thickness,
IBM collaboration)
 PCB and sample integration and successful
production of cold gases in mm-vicinity
 Ion trap array chips fabricated for
ion-based magnetometry
 Thermal cells made and magnetometry tests
achieving a sensitivity of nT/root(Hz)
 Benchmarking tests of optically pumped
magnetometers in biomagnetic imaging:
straightforward magneto-cardiogram;
at least six-fold enhanced signal in
magneto-encephalogram in direct SQUIDbased commercial MEG comparison
The team will continue to develop its
understanding of cold atom cloud behaviour in
close proximity to surfaces. Objectives include
demonstration of cold atom cloud transport
to within micron scale distances (currently in
the region of ten microns) to various surface
material samples. This will improve insight into
and allow characterisation of cloud–surface
interaction. Demonstration and characterisation
of this interaction is a key requirement of the
cold atom magnetic microscopy activity.
Additional research will be pursued into the use
of thermal atom cells as potential replacements
for SQUIDS in magneto encephalography
(MEG). The team will seek to demonstrate
thermal atom cell sensitivity of better than
six nano Tesla, and develop an experimental
optically pumped magnetometer array to allow
initial MEG characterisation activity.
Other activities will include near-surface
imaging using a range of different wavelength
lasers, further development (in collaboration
with WP2) of components for integrated atom
chips and the continuing development of ion
trap arrays.
Work Package 6: Magnetic Sensors
WP6 Case Study
Work Package 6: Ion array magnetometer
One of the key activities of WP6 is creation
of an ion array-based demonstrator device
capable of measuring magnetic fields
and magnetic field gradients with noise
suppression. Following on from this,
the team will seek to develop a portable
magnetometer device. To achieve this,
the Ion Quantum Technology Group at the
University of Sussex, headed by Professor
Winfried Hensinger, is undertaking
experiments towards this goal. For example,
they work on increasing the coherence time
(T2) of a particular quantum state in trapped
ions, as well as increasing the sensitivity of
possible devices by developing systems that
allow the trapping of increased numbers
of ions.
Initial efforts have succeeded in
demonstrating raised T2 times of 0.65
seconds, while the design of a 200 ion trap
chip array has been completed. The new
chip design uses a multi-rail design, as
shown below in Figure 1, and offers the
potential for B-field gradient measurements
with approximately 400µm resolution.
A UHV demonstration system has also been
designed, with procurement of components
for the demonstration device underway.
Figure 1. Portable vacuum system
design in collaboration with e2v
In parallel with this, the team is working
on the design of a portable magnetometer,
working towards miniaturising lasers,
optics and electronics and the vacuum
system. Recent successes include the
design of an rf-resonator and atomic
ovens for the portable system. The team
continues to work in collaboration with e2v
and is making good progress towards a
miniaturised UHV system design for use in
the portable device.
Novel, as well as improved, medical
applications are also feasible. Microwave
sensing with trapped ions could contribute
towards superior breast cancer detection,
while trapped ion magnetometers designed
with ultra-high resolution and sensitivity
will have applications in multiple medical
diagnostic systems where radio and
microwave radiation is used for sensing
and imaging, for example in microwave
tomography (MWT).
The team has also begun identifying
uses of the magnetometer for national
security applications.
33
34
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP7: Rotation Sensors
Dr Tim Freegarde
Work package Leader for Rotation Sensors
Senior Lecturer, University of Southampton
Dr Freegarde studied at New College, Oxford and received his
DPhil from the University’s laser group. Following a couple of years
in industry, he returned to academia under Professor Ted Hänsch at
the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, and then, with a brief
stop at the European Lab for Nonlinear Optics (LENS), he moved
to Oxford’s Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Lab. After two years
at the University of Trento, and a short spell at Imperial College, he
joined the University of Southampton in 2003. He is the author of
‘Introduction to the Physics of Waves’, published by CUP in 2012.
Dr Tim Freegarde
His group’s research explores the use of optical forces for the
mechanical manipulation of atoms, particles and microstructures.
It has invented a number of schemes for the cooling and trapping
of atomic and other species including time-of-arrival trapping,
the metastable optical pumping trap, cavity-enhanced dipole
traps, mirror-mediated cooling, amplified cooling and momentumstate algorithmic cooling. The exploitation of velocity-dependent
interactions between light and atoms has also led to the proposal
of a momentum-state quantum computer; and combinations of such
interactions are at the heart of most atom interferometric inertial
sensors. The group has also explored the application of composite
pulse techniques and adiabatic passage to improve the fidelity of
atom interferometer operations.
The group’s experimental and theoretical research includes a wide
range of instrument and device development from control electronics
to optical and laser instruments and stabilisation.
Work Package 7: Rotation Sensors
The overall goal of this work package is to
develop the technology for a compact rotation
sensor with high sensitivity, based on the
intrinsic interferometric sensitivity enhancement
of matter-waves compared to laser light.
As there is no clear optimum solution for a
portable rotation sensor of such a type, the first
objective is to develop different technological
methods. At the end of the first objective stage
the benefits and costs of each approach will be
compared for the development of an optimised
strategy to implement and engineer a
practical solution.
The methodological approaches are markedly
different. A first implementation uses free-falling
atoms to measure rotation, for which a range
of proof-of-principle experiments have been
demonstrated in the past. We are developing
new interferometer pulse techniques for robust
operation and will use these to demonstrate a
miniature cold-atom gyroscope with 100 rad
s-1 Hz-1/2 sub-MEMS sensitivity. Due to the free
fall of atoms, the achievable sensitivity of this
method will be limited by apparatus size.
Therefore, we are pursuing other approaches
to use guided atoms confined to a ring
structure where free propagation is reduced
to a circular path. Free propagation can even
be removed altogether and be reduced to
transportation, leading to a solution that is
operated like an atomic clock. Investigations
concerning the optimum design of confining
potentials are currently progressing. Chipbased, micro-structured electromagnets and
magnetic thin films are under investigation,
together with the design, modelling and
manufacturing of required radiofrequency and
microwave circuitry. The results from these
studies will inform the fabrication of radiofrequency and microwave-dressed magnetic
traps. Since electro-magnetic solutions always
require leads that break the optimal axial
symmetry, inductively coupled ring traps are
investigated, using advanced microfabrication
techniques. In a complementary manner, one
could replace the magnetic confinement of the
previous approaches with an optical potential.
The use of diffractive optical components to
produce atomic ring guides is thus a further
option under investigation. These optical
traps should be smooth and free from
background light.
A comparison of the different approaches,
methods and technologies is planned for month
36 of the project. In collaboration with Dstl
we will use an industry-compatible systems
simulation based on our optical interferometry
simulation programme to aid this decision.
From then on the members will develop the
selected technology, guided by the outcomes
of work packages 1–4, into a compact device
with a targeted rotation sensitivity of 20×10−10
rad s−1 Hz−1/2.
As the later objective of the work package
is dependent upon the first-stage objectives,
all the key results to date have been in
preparation for D7.1.
Apparatus built:
 Permanent magnet test ring trap
(Nottingham)
Publications:
 Atom interferometric cooling: PRL 115,
073004 (2015) (Southampton)
 Sagnac interferometer: PRL 115, 163001
(2015) (Nottingham)
 Holographic atomic waveguides: NJP 18,
025007 (2016) (Strathclyde)
 Inductively guided atom guides:
Nature Comm. 5, 5289 (2014)
(Sussex and Strathclyde)
Testing:
 Roughness of optical ring potential
using different holographic
techniques (Strathclyde)
 High-fidelity atomic beam
splitters (Strathclyde)
 Gyroscope two-state readout
protocol (Nottingham)
Development:
 Fast atom source for grating
MOT (Strathclyde)
 Enhanced contrast of fringe
readout (Strathclyde)
 Interferometer transport protocols (Sussex)
 Atom chip fabrication tolerances (Sussex)
 Atom chip ring trap design
(Nottingham, Sussex)
In keeping with the outlined objectives, the next
stage of work will involve testing the proofof-principle free space rotation sensor. At the
same time we will begin loading into ring traps
and dressing the trap potentials with radio
frequency radiation. Building upon the optical
roughness measurements, we will also start
combining holographic waveguides with atom
sources. The first generation of miniature atom
chip rotation sensor designs will be developed,
including the fabrication and initial testing
of microwave chips to operate inductively
coupled ring traps.
PhD Student Tadas Pyragius aligns a laser frequency doubling cavity; the light from which
will be used to investigate methods to produce more precise interferometers which work
beyond the standard quantum limit.
35
36
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP7 Case Study
A clock-based interferometer for rotation
sensing. Department of Physics and
Astronomy, The University of Nottingham.
The accurate measurement of rotation has
important effects on inertial navigation,
geodesy, seismology and geophysics.
Modern gyroscopes rely upon the Sagnac
effect which describes the rotation-induced
phase shift between two paths of an
interferometer. Conventionally this shift is
measured using a laser gyroscope. By using
massive particles instead of light, much
higher sensitivities are theoretically possible
due to the higher rest mass energy of
particles compared to the photonic energy.
Atomic interferometers based on the Sagnac
effect have demonstrated record sensitivities
below 10−9 rad s-1/2, outperforming
commercial navigation sensors by orders
of magnitude. A fundamental challenge
to commercialising atomic gyroscopes,
however, is the development of miniaturised
and integrated atom optical setups.
Figure 1. Combined radio frequency and
magnetic potential for one atomic spin
state. Red indicates the deepest part of
the potential.
Conventional atomic techniques, which use
free-falling atoms, require large apparatuses
as the sensitivity depends upon how far
the atoms are allowed to fall before they
are measured. To circumvent this problem
researchers are looking towards ring-shaped
traps and guided interferometers, which have
yet to demonstrate high sensitivity.
In Figure 1 we show a state-dependent
potential produced using a combination of
magnetic fields and radio frequency fields
that will allow us to operate an interferometer
without any free propagation.
This particular implementation is operated in
a similar fashion to an atomic clock. Atoms
in two internal spin states are confined in
separate traps that move around the ring in
opposite directions, see Figure 2. Half way
around the ring the populations in each state
are inverted before completing the revolution
all the way back to the start position.
Any rotation of the ring during the transport
time results in a phase difference which is
read out at the end of the sequence.
This approach offers a high degree of control
over the motion of the trapped atoms,
a feature which conventional approaches
do not offer. It also avoids the use of
optical fields, which demand interferometric
stabilities, thus helping to reduce the
experimental complexity.
Using this technique an atomic Sagnac
interferometer can be implemented with
fully confined atoms, at finite temperature,
enabling new designs of compact devices.
We envision that by building ring traps with
permanent magnets, together with the lowvolume vacuum chambers being developed
at the University of Southampton, we will
be able to produce a new generation of
miniaturised, precise gyroscopes.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Figure 2. Experimental sequence for a rotation measurement using trapped cold atoms in a magnetic
ring potential. Atoms are initialised in a superposition of internal spin states and guided around a ring
potential. After one revolution the atoms acquire a rotation-dependent phase which is converted into
a population difference and read out.
Publication: Sagnac Interferometry with a
Single Atomic Clock. R Stevenson, MR Hush,
T Bishop, I Lesanovsky and T Fernholz. Phys.
Rev. Lett. 115, 163001 (2015)
Quantum
Technology
Hub
Work Package
8: Clocks
WP8: Clocks
Professor Erling Riis
Work package Leader for Clocks
Professor and Head of Department of Physics,
University of Strathclyde
Erling Riis completed his PhD on laser spectroscopy of atoms with
particular applications to fundamental studies of the foundations of
Physics in 1988 from the University of Aarhus. After that he joined
the group of Steven Chu at Stanford University to work on some
of the pioneering experiments on laser cooled atoms. In 1991 he
moved to the University of Strathclyde to set up the cold atom activity
there. He is currently work package leader for Clocks within the UK
Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology and works with
a team of younger researchers on the development of cold atom and
quantum gas based measurement techniques.
His research interests are primarily in precision measurements
with atoms and with a strong element of technology development
including laser sources. Most notably, this was demonstrated
through the development of a single-frequency Ti:Sapphire laser
that was subsequently successfully commercialised and is now used
worldwide by many groups, in quantum optics in general and cold
atom research in particular.
More recently, his core research interest has turned to the use of
coherent matter waves in interferometry and, in particular, in guided
wave configurations. In parallel with this, a programme has been
developed seeking to explore practical (low size, weight and power)
realisations of measurements on the ground and in space based on
atomic systems. A specific aspect of this work is the development
of the microfabricated optical grating enabling compact and virtually
alignment-free setups for trapping and laser cooling of atoms.
This breakthrough is at the core of the vision behind the Strathclyde
Quantum Technology Hub activity of creating miniaturised systems
enabling the realisation of compact and portable measurement
devices based on laser cooled atoms.
An integral part of the miniaturisation of cold atom setups is the
development of compact conventional technology, including vacuum
and laser systems. The Strathclyde team works closely with academic
colleagues at Glasgow University and NPL as well as with industrial
partners including KNT, M Squared and TMD.
Professor Erling Riis
37
38
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
The ability to measure time accurately has
always been at the core of human civilisation.
It has evolved from the ancient observation of
the sun and other celestial objects through
mechanical objects, that solved the ‘longitude
problem’, and the ubiquitous quartz oscillator
to the present standard based on the groundstate hyperfine transition in atomic caesium.
This sequence demonstrates the essential
elements of the drive to developing ever more
accurate clocks even to this day: the need to
observe many unperturbed oscillations and the
ability to make many identical oscillators. The
identical oscillators are now atoms that are
barely interacting with their environment, or at
least interact in such a way that the effect on
the frequency can be tuned to zero. The need
to increase the number of observed oscillations
has been achieved on the one hand by
increasing the observation time through laser
cooling of the atoms and on the other by the
ongoing drive to increase the frequency to
the optical range.
The current caesium frequency standard is
now based on a dilute sample of laser cooled
atoms in the free fall of a parabolic trajectory.
This is a large (scale length: about one metre)
and complex piece of equipment reaching an
accuracy of around 10-16. The atomic clocks
work package will deliver a miniaturised atom
clock, where atoms are laser cooled to a few
tens of µK using our microfabricated grating
technology and interrogated while in free flight.
The rapid cycling enabled by short interrogation
times will provide cm-scaled portable devices
with an accuracy around 10-13.
In parallel with this work at Strathclyde, the
Birmingham team is developing clocks based
on optical transitions. Accuracies exceeding
10-17 are expected for laboratory-based
systems that will contribute to a future UK
definition of time, while portable systems are
being developed with an accuracy at the 10-16
level. These ultimate accuracies are afforded
by the use of the combination of an optical
transition and the long observation times
enabled by holding the atoms in a light field
carefully chosen not to perturb the
clock transition.
Key results:
Strathclyde
 Design and manufacture of optical gratings
 Optical characterisation of gratings
 Characterisation of gratings with respect
to atom number and temperature
 Design and assembly of vacuum system
for test setup
 Design and assembly of portable cold
atom system
 Design and assembly of optical system
for laser cooling and trapping
 Design and assembly for optical system
for Raman transitions used for coherent
population trapping
 Excitation of microwave clock transition
in cold atoms using coherent
population trapping
Birmingham
 Design and realisation of a portable
demonstrator for the optical lattice clock
 Laser cooling and trapping of millions of
Sr atoms achieved in the demonstrator
 Single beam blue MOT achieved resulting
in more compactness, mechanical and
polarisation stability
 Direct capture of Sr atoms from the backing
without the need of Zeeman Slower or
2D MOT
NPL (funded by Dstl: DSTLX-1000094114)
 Coherent population trapping signal
observed in hollow-core fibre (HCF)
microwave clock
 FPGA frequency stabilisation control loop
for HCF clock
 Design of a compact clock laser package
comprising: (i) an ultra-stable optical cavity
system based on NPL’s patented forceinsensitive cubic cavity; (ii) a compact
diode-based laser system at the clock subharmonic with second harmonic generation
(SHG) to 698 nm for clock interrogation
 Modelling of the clock laser package and its
projected performance
Next steps:
 Commissioning of new vacuum for
test setup
 Demonstration of Raman-Ramsey signal
from laser cooled atoms
 Characterisation of system stability
 Measurement of atom number and lifetime
of the blue MOT
 Realisation of red MOT in a portable lattice
clock setup
 Transfer of red MOT into an optical lattice
at 813 nm
 Transfer of the setup to NPL
 Realisation of a miniaturised clock laser
stabilised to a force-insensitive cavity for the
portable clock setup
 Characterisation and analysis
 Hollow-core fibre clock demonstrator
Work Package 8: Clocks
WP8 Case Study
Grating chips for quantum technologies
Paul F Griffin, Aidan S Arnold and Erling
Riis, Department of Physics, University of
Strathclyde
The development of powerful techniques
for laser cooling of atomic samples has
resulted in profound advances in atomic
physics in general and frequency metrology
in particular. However, the technology is
typically complex and bulky, thus generally
limiting its applicability to the research
laboratories. Central to the Strathclyde cold
atom activities in the Quantum Technology
Hub for Sensors and Metrology is the use of
microfabricated optical elements that enable
the miniaturisation of the core element,
the magneto-optic trap (MOT). This drive
towards cold atoms on a chip holds the
tantalising promise of enabling the realisation
of portable measurement devices based on
laser cooled atoms combining an accuracy
vastly exceeding that of equivalent roomtemperature technology with small size,
weight and power consumption.
Laser cooling of atoms relies on the viscous
damping of the atomic motion provided
by the momentum transfer from absorbed
photons propagating in the opposite
direction from the atoms. The use of
circularly polarised light and the addition of
a quadrupole magnetic field further provide
a restoring force towards the magnetic
field minimum and hence realise a trap for
atoms. This is conventionally achieved by six
beams forming three orthogonal standing
waves and requires a significant amount
of optics and effort to align. The crucial
steps in miniaturisation of the MOT are the
realisation that four beams in a tetrahedral
configuration as shown in Figure 1a provide
the equivalent damping and restoring forces
and that this beam configuration can be
achieved by reflecting a single incoming
beam off a suitably designed optical element.
This element – a hologram – shown in Figure
1b consists, in the case of the tetrahedral
beam configuration, of three binary gratings
prepared by electron-beam lithography and
etched into a silicon wafer. Each grating is
etched to a depth of a quarter of the laser
wavelength of 780 nm to eliminate 0th order
diffraction from the grating and the period
is chosen less than twice the wavelength to
ensure only first order diffractions as shown
in Figure 1c. The first orders diffracted away
from the line of symmetry in the centre are
not used. Gratings manufactured in this way
are coated with a reflecting metallic coating
and are observed to preserve the purity of
the circular polarisation to a high degree.
The starting point for our cold atom
experiments is a small glass vacuum
cell containing a low background
vapour pressure of rubidium atoms.
The microfabricated grating chip is placed
outside the vacuum and as shown in Figure
1d, a cloud of laser cooled and trapped
atoms is then observed by imaging from the
side. The atom numbers upwards of 108
have been demonstrated depending on the
particular grating design and consistent with
the performance of the conventional sixbeam MOT. Similarly, temperatures in the few
tens of µK have been observed.
The sample of laser cooled atoms can now
be used as a starting point for precision
measurements on the atomic sample. In the
first instance we are seeking to demonstrate
a miniaturised atomic clock by exciting the
rubidium ground-state hyperfine splitting
using two laser frequencies separated by
this frequency difference. This interrogation
of the atoms will take place after they have
been trapped, cooled and released in free
fall and hence minimally perturbed by the
environment. Before the atoms leave the
cross-over region of the trapping beams
they are captured again and the cycle
repeats. Realistic estimates of this process
suggests an atomic clock performance in
the 10-13 range, exceeding the best current
commercial devices.
This and other microfabricated gratings
(Figure 2) have simplified the optical setup
of a cold atom-based measurement
device. The vacuum systems used are
still laboratory-type setups, but there
is commercial interest in extending the
technology known from vacuum valves to
create compact vacuum cells with built-in
miniaturised pumps. Similarly, progress is
underway integrating the laser systems
required by extending the technology known
from telecommunications sources.
Figure 1. a) A magneto-optic trap formed by
four circularly polarised beams in the centre
of a quadru-pole magnetic field; b) Electron
microscope image of microfabricated grating used
in realising the beam configuration shown in a);
c) An incoming beam perpendicular to the grating
is split in two diffracted orders. Only one is used
in this configuration; d) Image of a cloud of trapped
atoms. The bright stripes are scatter from grating
and vacuum cell.
Publications: CC Nshii, M Vangeleyn, JP
Cotter, PF Griffin, EA Hinds, CN Ironside,
P See, AG Sinclair, E Riis and AS Arnold,
Nature Nanotech 8, 321 (2013).
JP McGilligan, PF Griffin, E Riis and AS
Arnold, Opt. Express 23, 8948 (2015).
Acknowledgements: This work was
supported by EPSRC under the Quantum
Technology Programme, The Royal Society
of Edinburgh, ESA and Dstl.
39
40
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Figure 2. Optical diffraction
gratings of different designs
have been demonstrated using
semiconductor microfabrication
technology. The image shows
the illumination of a grating
producing four diffracted
orders and hence suitable
for a five-beam MOT. Image
courtesy of NPL.
‘My involvement in the Hub’s clock
work package continues to be an
enlightening and gratifying experience.
Miniaturised atomic clocks are one of the
quantum technologies that are closest
to implementation, and I am particularly
enthused by how the Hub has united
different institutions with a collective vision
for commercial devices. The interaction
between researchers is great for progress,
but it also greatly increases my enjoyment
in the work. This spirit of collaboration
and collective vision fits perfectly with our
ethos at NPL’s recently launched Quantum
Measurement Institute, where we provide
the facilities and expertise for validating
the devices which will emerge from the
hub work.’
‘A military commander’s concerns are
“where am I, what surrounds me, what is
changing?” so precise timing underpins
critical activities including communications,
surveillance, navigation and weapons
systems. The UK is rich in world-leading
quantum physics groups but to find
excellence allied to engineering ingenuity
is rare. It has been an education and a
privilege to be associated with Kai Bongs’
research group as emerging physics is
translated into cutting-edge, miniaturised
cold atom systems. Miniature atomic clocks
will be revolutionary in all walks of life and
an early success in the National Programme
– transformative in their effects with major
UK economic benefit.’
Ross Williams, National Physical Laboratory.
Stephen Till, Dstl.
Quantum
Technology
Hub
Work Package
9: Quantum
Imaging
WP9: Quantum Imaging
Dr Vincent Boyer
Work package Leader for Quantum Imaging
Midlands Ultracold Atom Research Centre,
University of Birmingham
Vincent Boyer began his scientific life as a laser cooler and trapper.
He completed his PhD in 2000 at the University of Orsay, France,
on the development of a novel kind of magnetic trapping of ultracold
atoms based on soft-iron-core electromagnets. He then moved to
the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Maryland
USA, in the group of Physics Nobel laureate William Phillips,
where he worked on the demonstration of advanced laser cooling
techniques for the space atomic clock programme (SPARC). In 2002
he joined the cold atom group in Oxford to study many-body effects
in ultracold atoms and develop manipulation of ultracold atoms in
dynamic optical tweezers. In 2005 he went back to NIST to start
afresh and contributed to the renewal of the use of nonlinear atomic
processes for the creation of non-classical states of light. He joined
the University of Birmingham in 2009 as a lecturer and a member of
the Midlands Ultracold Atom Research Centre.
His research interests span laser cooling techniques, atom
interferometry and quantum optics. In recent years, he has helped to
establish the atom-based quantum sensor programme at Birmingham,
and has carried on developing quantum manipulation of light with hot
atomic vapours, following the realisation that the technique allows for
the spatial control of the quantum fluctuations of light. The latter is the
basis of the quantum imaging strand of the QT Hub for Sensors and
Metrology, which he leads and which aims to harness quantum spatial
control to improve a number of imaging techniques. More
fundamentally, Dr Boyer is also interested in combining his expertise
in both cold atoms and quantum optics to further develop the
quantum control of light at the single photon level. This is achieved by
coupling light guided in photonic crystal waveguides with cold atoms
in so-called hybrid devices.
Dr Vincent Boyer
41
42
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Work Package 9 aims to develop quantum
imaging as a technique of choice for those
imaging applications where the image quality
or the optical resolution can be limited by
the quantum fluctuations of traditional light
sources. To this effect, we are developing
flexible and compact quantum sources of
light usable on quantum demonstrators. The
key feature of these light sources is a reduction
of the fundamental quantum fluctuations due
to the decomposition of light in discrete
photons. These light sources will be applied
to imaging problems where the current stateof-the-art has demonstrated the need for
suppressing the quantum noise in order to
improve performance. These include optical
tracking setups, eg, multiple particle tracking
in optical tweezers for biological manipulation,
and noiseless image amplification in weak
coherent imaging, such as can be encountered
in LADAR systems.
Key results and progress
The work is based on four-wave mixing
in hot atomic vapours, as described in
previous research by Vincent Boyer [patent
US 7453626 B2].
Entanglement between a pair of beams has
been demonstrated in the past [Science
321, 544 (2008)]. This means that the
quantum noises on these beams are
correlated and can be rejected in common
mode setups, where one beam acts
as a reference for the other beam.
In the framework of the Hub, we have
demonstrated the generation of a single
beam with reduced quantum fluctuations
throughout its transverse profile. It is an
important step towards the demonstration
of the capabilities of quantum illumination
for the production of clearer images.
We have produced the design of a
compact source of quantum light for easy
transportation to demonstration sites.
Current efforts and next stage
We are currently assembling the first
generation of the quantum light source. In
its first incarnation, it will produce a pair of
quantum-correlated beams of light. As these
beams will share spatial quantum fluctuations,
a property known as entanglement, one beam
will be used as reference while the other beam
will be used as a probe for imaging. This will
effectively result in imaging with reduced
quantum fluctuations (ie, noise floor below
the shot noise).
Basic setup for the generation of beams of light displaying common quantum intensity fluctuation
Simultaneously, we are extending the number
of detection schemes which are compatible
with the use of quantum light. Previous results
were obtained by performing continuous
measurements of the intensity of light with
simple photodiodes. We recognise however
that a number of applications, for instance
biological imaging, rely on the acquisition
of snapshot images. We are studying
how sensitive cameras can help us take
advantage of quantum light. In this context,
reduced fluctuations are the result of a spatial
reorganisation of the photons inside the light.
This produces smoother images, where the
quantum roughness has been ‘ironed out’.
Work Package 9: Quantum Imaging
WP9 Case Study
A locally squeezed light source for
quantum imaging
This article presents the fundamental
physics underpinning the quantum imaging
work package, and the experiments which
demonstrate it.
When measured with sensitive detectors,
light reveals fundamental fluctuations which
are the result of it being made of discrete
photons. The fluctuations appear on the socalled quadratures, which can be assimilated
to the phase and the amplitude of the light
in the case of a bright beam. These quantum
fluctuations ultimately limit the precision of
devices based on optical measurements.
Although they cannot be fully eliminated,
quantum fluctuations of light can be shifted
from one quadrature, eg, the amplitude, to
the other one, eg, the phase. This optical
‘squeezing’ corresponds to the quantum
noise of one of the quadrature being smaller
than the noise found on a classical source
of light, where the distribution of photons is
random. This reference noise, the quantum
noise limit or shot noise, is found for instance
in standard lasers. Depending on the type of
measurement one desires to perform it can
be advantageous to squeeze one of the
other quadratures.
thought of as if photons could interact
with each other. In the particular case of
four-wave mixing, where four beams of light
intersect and interact, the nonlinear process
corresponds to pairs of photons from two
beams (the pumps) colliding and emerging
into two other beams (signal and idler, or
probe and conjugate depending on the
context), depicted in Figure 1.
The resulting probe and conjugate beams
have quantum fluctuations which are
correlated at the single photon level. The
recent experimental breakthrough that has
let us envision the application of squeezing
to imaging applications has been to engineer
a nonlinear medium, based on an atomic
vapour, that has a nonlinearity large enough
that the production of correlated photons
can occur without the aid of an optical cavity.
This means that the probe and conjugate
photons, although correlated in position
and direction of travel, are not constrained
to travel in a fixed direction. The result is a
pair of probe and conjugate beams that are
quantum correlated locally point per point,
forming so-called entangled images [1].
The locality of the correlations is crucial for
imaging applications.
The theory and implementation of squeezing
dates back to the 80s and relies on the
nonlinear interaction between light and
a medium. The resulting process can be
The final step is to combine the locally
correlated probe and conjugate beams into
a single beam which has locally reduced
quantum fluctuations. The measurement
of these fluctuations can be performed
Figure 1. Four-wave mixing interaction in a
nonlinear medium, where photons from a pair
of pump beams ‘collide’ and produce pairs of
photons correlated in their position of origin
and anti-correlated in their direction of travel,
according to the conservation of momentum.
Figure 2. Homodyne detection. (a) When the signal
beam is simply squeezed, the local oscillator (LO)
must match its mode. (b) When the signal beam is
locally squeezed, reduced quantum fluctuations are
recorded for all positions of the local oscillator, that
is to say for all sub-parts of the signal beam.
by a homodyne detector. This is a 50/50
beamsplitter which combines the signal
beam and a bright reference beam (the local
oscillator), and a balanced photodetector
(Figure 2). The local oscillator amplifies
the signal to the point that even the
quantum fluctuations (the shot noise) are
measurable. As shown in Figure 2(a), the
local oscillator must match the optical mode
of the beam which is squeezed for the best
measurement to be made. The creation of
a locally squeezed beam was shown for the
first time [2] as a beam displaying reduced
quantum fluctuations for any position of
the local oscillator, that is to say for any
observed sub-part of the beam (Figure 2(b)).
Experimentally, up to 75 independent regions
were shown to be squeezed by about 50%
below the quantum noise limit.
The realisation of local squeezing lets us
envision imaging scenarios where the
illumination of the object under observation
has reduced amplitude fluctuations at
any point in space and therefore leads to
images with less graininess at the quantum
level. More tantalising, in super-resolution
schemes where the resolution is limited by
the quantum noise, which is the case when
all sources of technical noise have been
suppressed, the use of squeezed illumination
will also lead to increased optical resolution
beyond the quantum noise limit.
1. V Boyer et al, Science 321, 544 (2008)
2. CS Embray et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. X 5,
031004 (2015)
43
44
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP10: Market Building and Networking
Professor Costas Constantinou
Work package Leader for Market Building and
Networking, Senior Lecturer in Communications
Engineering, University of Birmingham
Professor Constantinou obtained his PhD on the path-integral analysis
of passive, graded-index waveguides applicable to integrated optics
from the University of Birmingham in 1991. Starting with his PhD
and continuing to this day, he has been carrying out interdisciplinary
research at the interface between physics and electrical engineering in
optics, electrodynamics, the congestion dynamics of complex internet
networks and now quantum technologies.
Professor Costas Constantinou
Professor Constantinou has held positions of Lecturer in
Communications Engineering at the University of Birmingham, Senior
Lecturer and Reader. Since 1991 he has developed a number of
distinct strands of research activity, focusing on the application of
classical electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, statistical physics and
game theory to communications engineering. Notable successes have
been the application of electrodynamics to deterministic radiowave
propagation prediction, the co-invention of tuneable, efficient, multiport electrically small antennas and the modelling of the congestion
dynamics of the internet.
The breadth of his contributions spans topics such as
electromagnetic theory, electromagnetic scattering and diffraction,
electromagnetic measurement, antennas, radiowave propagation
modelling, adaptive communication network architectures and the
modelling of very large scale internet networks.
Professor Constantinou’s track record of impactful work with industry
started in the early 1990s when he worked with DRA Malvern
(QinetiQ’s predecessor) to develop the basis of the MoD’s shortrange battlefield radio propagation prediction model. In the late
1990s he became a founding member of the BT Virtual University
Research Initiative (VURI) on Mobility together with the Universities
of Oxford and Bristol, King’s College London and UMIST. The BT
VURI undertook the fundamental research on cellular radio capacity
increase methods which informed BT policies, and ultimately became
a significant part of the UK contribution to the 3G mobile telephony
standardisation process. During the 2000s his research on network
routing led to patent applications on adaptive network routing and
network vulnerability analysis and to a spin-off company, Prolego
Technologies Ltd. The network vulnerability analysis software tool he
helped develop was subsequently used by the US Airforce.
Professor Constantinou is a co-investigator on the QT Hub for
Sensors and Metrology, leading WP10, the Work Package on Market
Building and Networking, which is at the core of the Hub’s technology
transfer strategy.
Work Package10: Market Building and Networking
This work package aims to create a UK-wide
network for quantum sensors and metrology,
fostering dialogue between scientists,
engineers, industry and end users.
As the key deliverables of WP10 are built around
the demonstrators which will be the outputs of
WP5–9, the initial activities are centred on an
exploration of industrial interest in QT sensors. This aim is to be achieved based on a twofold strategy:
 The engagement of commercial end users
(engineers, medical practitioners, etc)
 The demonstration of the applications and
advantages of prototype sensors
Demonstrators are to be developed
in collaboration with industry and the
demonstration activities will be co-located
in the Hub Technology Transfer Centre.
Initial progress includes engaging with industry
at events, in private conversation and through
funded collaborations; winning additional
funding from the European Commission, the
European Space Agency, the University of
Birmingham, the EPSRC Follow-On Fund, The
University of Nottingham, Defence Science
and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Innovate
UK; and encouraging early applications
for partnership funding for end-user driven
demonstration activities.
Specifically, the work package tasks are to:
 Identify and promote novel quantum sensor
developments from outside the Hub
 Promote quantum sensors and their
potential to users
 Identify and promote demonstration
activities in which quantum sensors prove
their potential to improve the operation
and business of users
For example, the University of Birmingham
hosted a cross-hub aviation industry workshop
which allowed members of the aviation
industry to start to explore their interest in the
many opportunities presented by quantum
technologies, including rotation sensing.
Similarly, the priorities and challenges of the
industry were explored, influencing the direction
of the technology development.
Professor Kai Bongs, University of Birmingham
Photo credit: Alex Lister
Professor Constantinou, University of Birmingham.
45
46
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP10 Case Study
Market building for quantum sensors.
Healthcare: New generation
magnetoencephalography (MEG) – the
case for quantum magnetometers for
diagnosing early stage dementia
Market analysis
Dementia may overwhelm both health and
social care services globally as the world
population grows and longevity increases.
It is estimated that 47 million people are
currently living with dementia with a doubling
in the number expected every 20 years.
Worldwide there are over 10 million cases
of dementia each year, with an estimated
cost of over €700 billion. Most people living
with dementia have not received a formal
diagnosis, yet the World Alzheimer Report
2015 suggests that early diagnosis and
intervention are the means necessary to
close the existing gap in treatment.
Current diagnosis and the role
of technology
The current state of diagnosis for dementia
takes various forms, often commencing
with a self-report of loss of memory.
Physicians will typically take a patient
history, conduct a physical examination
and a series of psychological tests. A brain
scan in the form of a CT, MRI, SPECT or
PET may be performed additionally. Brain
scans are expensive, potentially dangerous
and cannot be conducted outside a clinical
setting. Treatment following a diagnosis of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) almost invariably
involves a drug prescription, which cannot
cure AD or any other form of dementia
and can only slow its progression. Early,
but effective, diagnosis will potentially
enable pharmaceutical companies to create
effective drug regimens prior to irreversible
brain cell loss.
Detecting neural signatures
The healthy human brain functions as an
integrated unit or ‘network’, connecting all
regions together virtually instantaneously
to perform complex cognitive activities
such as memory. MEG has tremendous
potential as a technology to interrogate
the brain’s communication networks as it
directly detects, in real time, the magnetic
field generated by the neuronal currents
related to brain activity. The field distribution
is measured via an array of sensitive
magnetometers arranged around the surface
of the skull; the location of the source, as well
as the temporally resolved current distribution,
is then reconstructed. Among other
neuroimaging techniques, MEG stands out
with its combination of localisation accuracy
in the sub-centimetre range and high temporal
resolution on the order of milliseconds.
The case for quantum technology
Current MEG systems are dependent on
magnetometers, called superconducting
quantum interference devices (SQUIDS),
which must be constrained in a dewar
helmet filled with liquid helium, making it
virtually impossible to achieve affordability
and portability. As a further limitation, the
sensors must be positioned as close as
possible to the head (magnetic fields decay
with distance) to detect weak signals arising
from brain activity. Current MEG technology
requires measurements to be conducted in
an expensive, magnetically shielded room in
order to reduce interference from the Earth’s
magnetic field. Thus, MEG technology
is severely constrained in realising its
full potential as a tool in basic cognitive
neuroscience and as a technology capable
of translation into a practical clinical tool for
debilitating brain disorders.
The QT Hub is working with leading
producers of MEG equipment and its own
supply chain to develop the next generation
of atomic magnetic field sensors. These
will be instrumental in re-engineering MEG
devices to accelerate dramatic advances
in basic and translational cognitive
neuroscience for the diagnosis of debilitating
brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Additionally, making such devices compact,
affordable and migrating these from the
hospital to the surgery, or even to the home,
will enable large-scale investigations into
healthy ageing in non-clinical populations.
Moreover, such technological advances
will enable MEG to be combined with
an affordable brain stimulation device to
potentially enable restoration of the deficient
brain networks.
An affordable QT sensor
to be worn outside clinical
environments can become a
reality within five years, at an
estimated cost of approximately
£30k for a GP version.
Given that there are more than
10,000 GP practices in the
UK, there is a market potential
of £300 million in the UK
alone and potentially several
£billion worldwide.
Quantum
Technology
Hub
Work Package 11: Gravity
in Civil
Engineering
WP11: Gravity in Civil Engineering
Dr Nicole Metje
Work package Leader for Gravity in Civil
Engineering, Deputy Director for Sensors
of the National Buried Infrastructure Facility,
Reader in Infrastructure Monitoring, the University
of Birmingham
Dr Metje obtained her PhD from the University of Birmingham in
2001. She then worked on projects focusing on the development
of optical fibre sensors for tunnel displacement monitoring at
Birmingham, where she became a lecturer in 2007 and a senior
lecturer in 2010. She is currently leading the Power and Infrastructure
Research Group in the School of Engineering and is a Deputy
Director for Sensors of the National Buried Infrastructure Facility to be
built at Birmingham as part of the UK Collaboratorium for Research in
Infrastructure and Cities initiative.
Dr Nicole Metje
Dr Metje works closely with industry to make excavations safer and
more cost-effective by employing a suite of different geophysical
sensors to see through the ground, detecting buried features
such as pipes, cables, capped mine shafts and sinkholes as well
as determining soil conditions such as loose soil. She serves on
the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Municipal Expert and Geospatial
Engineering Panels, the American Association of Civil Engineers’
Utility Standards Committee and the US Transportation Research
Board Utilities Committee. She was the only academic on the
British Standards Institution’s PAS128 Steering Committee for
the development of a UK specification for underground utility
detection, verification and location and currently serves on PAS256
(Buried services – Collection, recording and sharing of location
information data).
Dr Metje is a CI within the QT Hub for Sensors and Metrology,
focusing on gravity sensing in civil engineering. Her work focusses
on assessing the practical applications of the QT gravity gradiometer
and gravity sensors by modelling external noise sources and providing
feedback on practical limitations for civil engineering applications.
47
48
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
This work package provides an example of
the type of demonstration activities we aim
to grow in WP10. The aim is to put a gravity
gradient quantum sensor prototype into the
hands of civil engineers and geophysicists to
test in real-world environments for a range
of applications dictated by potential markets,
which include buried pipes and tunnels,
mineshafts and voids. In addition to leading
engineering research this will feed back into
the sensor development by providing
intelligence on current survey practices.
Results
Together with our industry partners, survey
methodologies for the existing micro-gravity
instrument (Scintrex CG5) have been
determined. This information will be used
to assess if the new QT gravity sensor (and
gradiometer) can improve on the time it takes
to carry out a survey while achieving improved
results with respect to resolution, accuracy
and noise suppression. Forward modelling of
a number of different targets has been carried
out. The focus has been on utility pipes and
tunnels (horizontal, infinite cylindrical shapes),
underground storage tanks and caverns
(horizontal, cylinders of finite length), building
basements/foundations (cuboids), voiding
outside tunnels or pipes, leaks, mineshafts
and sinkholes (vertical cylinder) and
geological faulting (semi-infinite slabs).
These targets were derived in conjunction
with industry consultation.
The aims and initial results of the work
have been presented at industrial
engagement events. Recent presentations
have included:
Tuckwell, G, Metje, N, Boddice, D (2015):
Subsurface Investigation – Are quantum
technology sensors the answer? Sustainable
Exploitation of the Subsurface, Geological
Society, London, 20–21 May 2015.
Boddice, D, Metje, N, Tuckwell, G (2016):
The Potential for Quantum Technology
Gravity Sensors. European Geosciences
Union General Assembly. Vienna, 17–22
April 2016.
Boddice, D (2016): Using Quantum
Technology Gravity Sensors to Map
the Underground. Set for Britain.
7 March, London.
Next steps
 Deployment of first QT gravimeter prototype
on real sites. The initial focus will be the
multi-utility tunnels on the University of
Birmingham’s campus and a nuclear bunker
providing a significant density variation.
This will be done in conjunction with
our industry partners using conventional
geophysical instruments.
 Assessment of the prototype
instrument noise.
 Evaluation of the noise modelling embedded
in the forward models to assess the
range of targets (size and depth) that
can be detected.
‘The biggest advantage of being part of
the QT Hub as a civil engineer is that I
can provide a practical application for QT
gravity sensors, and through my experience
of working with other geophysical sensing
technologies, I can provide a reality check
of what it is like to use the QT sensor
on site. At the same time I get access to
a novel sensing technology that no civil
engineer has used before. More importantly,
I know that if successful, this will make
a real difference to the civil engineering
community as it can de-risk the unknown
ground conditions and provide more
confidence when excavating, having
both economic and health and safety
benefits due to a reduction of utility
strikes or collapses due to unknown
ground conditions.’
‘RSK are global leaders in near-surface
geophysics. Our clients rely on us to
provide them with solutions. We deploy
the most up-to-date equipment available
to get them the information they need.
Participation in the Hub gives us an early
look at what will be the next generation of
geophysical sensors. It allows us to start
thinking now how we might be able to use
them. It means we can feed back into the
Hub to say “we need this”, so we are more
likely to get instruments useful to us sooner.
Not only is it fascinating science, but it is
also sound commercial sense for RSK
to be actively involved.’
Nicole Metje, University of Birmingham
George Tuckwell, RSK
Work Package 11: Gravity in Civil Engineering
WP11 Case Study
Most utility services, including electricity,
water, gas and telecommunications, are
distributed using buried pipelines or conduits,
or via directly buried cables. The majority of
this buried utility infrastructure exists beneath
roads. Some of these are over 200 years old
and indeed, we are still using Roman sewers.
Consequently, we often do not know where
these pipes and cables are when they need
repair or replacement. This leads to excavations
in the wrong place, adding to congestion and
delays (see ‘Mapping the Underworld’ and
‘Assessing the Underworld’ projects). Several
different technologies exist to see through
the ground, but many rely on transmitting an
electromagnetic wave through the ground
which is then reflected off a buried pipe or
cable, with the reflected signal received at
the ground surface. However, the ground,
especially wet clay, can make it really difficult
to see anything deeper than a few centimetres.
As these pipes and cables are buried up to
several metres below the ground surface,
an alternative technology such as micro-gravity
needs to be utilised. This technology measures
the gravitational field of the subsurface by
measuring density variations. This sounds easy,
but existing sensors are affected by the density
of surrounding buildings or features, vibration
from traffic and wind, and ocean tides to name
but a few. This limits the possible resolution,
ie, smaller objects cannot be detected.
Gravity mapping
QT gravity gradiometer
Using atom interferometry, cold atoms are
used as ideal test-masses to create a gravity
sensor which can measure a gravity gradient
rather than an absolute value. This suppresses
several noise sources, and creates a sensor
that is useful in everyday applications. To assess
the impact of different noise sources,
instrument and environmental noise as well
as location effects have been modelled.
The UK Quantum Technology Hub for
Sensors and Metrology aims to bring a
range of quantum sensor devices out of the
laboratory and into the real world. To achieve
this, close collaboration with end users,
such as geophysical surveying companies,
is needed to understand what the
applications and limitations of existing
technologies are, (ie, the ‘competitors’), and
to provide a reality check as the developing
QT technology has to survive the harsh
environment on site.
An aligned Innovate UK project called
SIGMA is an example of the strong
collaboration with industry. This project
is led by RSK with the aim to understand
current survey practices and to quantify the
potential of the next generation of QT-based
micro-gravity geophysical instruments to
create a step-change in how the ground is
investigated. This work featured two joint
measurement campaigns using multiple
existing micro-gravity instrumentation to
quantify the environmental noise (waves,
tides, earthquakes, wind) and the variability
in instrument noise. It further quantified the
field of opportunity compared with existing
geophysical sensors, showing the range of
targets and depths that would make a significant
difference if the QT sensor could fill this gap.
Gravity mapping
Issues that can be addressed using
gravity mapping
0
depth (m)
The problem
Have you ever wondered how your gas,
water, electricity and broadband are supplied
to your house? Or why you are stuck in yet
another traffic jam where there is an open
hole in the ground?
0
1
diameter of feature (m)
2
3
4
10
20
Area of
opportunity
for QT
sensor
The range of targets and depths covered
by existing geophysical sensors
49
50
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
WP12: Systems Engineering and
Technology Translation
Dr Paul John
Work package Leader for Systems Engineering
and Technology Translation, e2v technologies
(UK) Ltd
Dr John qualified with a BSc in Chemistry from the University of
Wales, followed by a PhD from the University of Bristol, both gained
in the 1970s.
He joined e2v (then EEV) in the 1980s. Employed as a magnetron
development engineer, he worked on the theoretical design and early
manufacture of the company’s first high-power co-axial magnetron for
demanding military applications.
Dr Paul John
In the 1990s, Dr John managed e2v’s Central Technical Services
division where he led a team of 30 scientists and engineers working
to solve some of the most demanding science issues faced by a
leading high-technology manufacturing company.
Dr John is currently a member of e2v’s growing quantum device
development team and is based in Chelmsford. His particular interest
is in the transition of quantum devices from the university physics
laboratory into manufacturing industry.
The importance of successful industrialisation of quantum devices
cannot be over-emphasised. Transfer from the university laboratory
into manufacturing industry is the prime objective of the UK’s £270
million investment in the National Quantum Technologies Programme.
Successful industrial manufacture of quantum devices and systems
will create sustainable employment and capture maximum economic
benefit for the UK.
Work package 12: Systems Engineering and Technology Translation
The aim of Work Package 12 is to work with
other work packages in the Hub in two
broad areas:
Systems engineering – an experienced
systems engineer is working with Hub
scientists to ensure the finished device (the
system) and the end user (the customer) are
considered when design decisions are being
made. To date, this has been achieved through
a series of systems engineering lectures and
demonstrations, and through offering targeted
advice and guidance for specific applications.
As hub technology develops and approaches
the product stage, systems engineering
concepts and disciplines will assume greater
importance.
Technology translation – to date, industrial
engineers and scientists have met with
representatives of all member institutions and
offered an industrial perspective on proposed
designs and concepts. More specifically, the
first cold atom cloud was generated at e2v
technologies in December 2015. This was
as a direct result of technology transfer from
Hub members into UK manufacturing industry.
Additionally, an Innovate UK programme is
underway (University of Birmingham, Gooch &
Housego, e2v) to develop a compact cold atom
source in an industrial context to a specification
provided by the University. A KTS application
has been made which will allow an experienced
industrial electronic engineer to spend 50% of
their time working at a Hub member bringing
formal industry-standard electronics disciplines
to university devices.
Key results achieved to date
 Introduction to Systems Engineering talk
given at Hub meeting at NPL
 More detailed systems engineering seminar
presented to Birmingham quantum team
 Involvement with Civil Engineering
and potential end users for gravity
imaging project
 Early stage involvement with Nottingham in
design of the magnetic field device
 Detailed discussion with Birmingham group
to clarify lower-level objectives
and specifications
 Compact cold atom chamber designed and
built at e2v to Birmingham’s design
 Industrial cold atom laboratory complete
and operational
 First rubidium cold atom cloud achieved
at e2v
 Discussions with research groups on the
design and build of a ‘standard’ compact
cold atom chamber
The next challenge for the systems engineering
aspect of WP12 is to complete the work with
the individual scientists in the Birmingham
group and ensure they each are working
to a clear specification and that the overall
group development activity is carried out with
customer requirements and end user needs
clearly in mind. Additionally, it is planned that
the education in systems engineering methods
will continue and be spread across the group.
Also, individual systems engineering needs
across Hub members will be addressed.
The design of an efficient magnetic field device
with Nottingham and the design and build of
a standardised cold atom physics chamber
are specific examples.
In the area of technology translation the
immediate challenge is to demonstrate a Rb
cold atom cloud in an industrially developed
vacuum chamber and the delivery of that
chamber to the Birmingham group. This is
anticipated by mid-2016. The integration of
an e2v-built cold atom chamber with a Gooch
& Housego designed and built laser system
is expected to be completed by mid-2016;
working under a joint Innovate UK (I-UK)
programme. Additionally, WP12 industrial
members will continue to work closely with
academic groups, thereby ensuring knowledge
transfer occurs both into and out of industry.
Key examples are magnetic field device design
with Nottingham and atom dispensing ovens
with the National Physical Laboratory.
51
52
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Work package 12: Systems Engineering and Technology Translation
WP12 Case Study
Project FreezeRay
In 2015 an Innovate UK (I-UK)-inspired
consortium comprising the University of
Birmingham, Gooch & Housego and e2v
technologies bid into the ‘Exploring the
Commercial Applications of Quantum
Technologies’ project call and was
successful in attracting funding support.
Project FreezeRay was kicked off in August
2015 with the first meeting of all consortium
members taking place at Gooch & Housego’s
headquarters in Torquay.
The aim of project FreezeRay is to develop
a commercial holistic system for laser
trapping and cooling of rubidium atoms.
The system was to be specifically tailored
for laser cooling of rubidium atoms
based on a specification provided by
the University and agreed by all parties.
The cold atom vacuum container was to
be designed and manufactured by e2v
technologies while Gooch & Housego
were tasked with developing the 780 nm
stabilised laser system.
Integration of the final system was to be
carried out at e2v technologies with all
partners having a real-time input to that task.
Cold atom equipment being set up at e2v
Testing and demonstration of the final
assembled system was to take place at the
University against the specification agreed
by all parties at the outset.
In order to gain I-UK support for this
collaboration a clear business proposition
was required. The consortium identified
a potential current market of around £14
million per annum for laser-cooled rubidium
systems. End users of these systems
include the next generation of atomic
clocks and they will become the platform
for more accurate satellite-based inertial
navigation systems.
The first six months of the collaboration
has seen positive progress across all
work packages with the overall project
progressing in line with initial expectations.
In February 2016 I-UK announced new
money for existing consortia to use to
continue their development beyond their
original objectives.
Gooch & Housego, e2v and the University
of Birmingham are presently considering
extension actions and are preparing a
proposal for I-UK’s consideration.
53
54
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Engagement and Pathways to Impact
Our Pathways to Impact strategy is based on ensuring seamless links from our research to those who
are able to exploit it. We recognise that translating fundamental research to commercial products requires
time and coherent staging, linking together different development phases and areas of expertise, as well
as developing next-generation human resources.
We have identified five groups within the
demand chain to engage with:
 Core technology partners
 Potential users of novel products who
may need to revise their business
models and invest in equipment and
staff training
 Clients, whose demands will
drive utilisation
 Researchers, who will build on
our findings
 The public who will be excited by the
practical benefits that investment in
science can yield
In building the demand chain, it is important
to view the Hub’s activity through different
lenses and to communicate effectively with
each group. A communication strategy has
been created to facilitate this.
Engagement and Pathways to Impact
Engagement with core technology partners
Dstl: gravity imager and optical clock developments, field trials
e2v: vacuum, imaging and systems engineering
M Squared: electronics, lasers and system validation
NPL: clock and magnetometer development and system validation
Kelvin Nanotechnologies Ltd (KNT): semiconductor laser systems,
MOT/atom/ion chips
Chronos Technology Ltd: timing signal generation
RAL: space applications
HRH Duke of York
meeting Dr George
Tuckwell, RSK,
during a visit to QT
Hub, University of
Birmingham
Defence
AWE
BAE Systems
GEM Elettronica
MBDA
Sandia
Selex
Thales
TMD
UTC Aerospace
Exploration
ArkeX
BGS
BP
GeoDynamics
Halliburton
MicrogLacoste
Muquans
Reid Geophysics
Schlumberger
Transport
Network Rail
Texas Transportation
Institute
Transport for London
Semiconductors
Compound
Semiconductor
Technologies
IQE
Healthcare
Elekta
NHS Trauma
Vertex
Laser
Coherent
ColdQuanta
ELUXI
Gooch & Housego
HighFinesse
Sacher
Infrastructure
Balfour Beatty
Cardno
Drill Line
ICE
Infotec
JK Guest
Macleod Simmonds
RSK
Severn Trent Water
Stratascan
Subscan
Subsurface Utility
Eng.
T2 Utility Engineers
UKSTT
URS Infrastructure
and Environment
UTSI Electronics
Other
Chemring
ESA
IBM
KTN
MTC
Oxford Instruments
Plextek
Procter & Gamble
Q. Wave Fund
Qrometric
Rolls-Royce
Royal Institute of
Navigation
Samsung
Texas Instruments
TSB-KTP
Versyns Ventures
Witted
Many of these companies, who have supported the QT Hub from the outset, are integrated into the Hub’s
technology programme at governance, management and practical levels. Technology delivery with industry is
supported at management level by WP12, co-led by Paul John (e2v), a dedicated technology transfer officer
(Francesco Maria Colacino, Alta Innovations), and a dedicated systems engineer (Steve Maddox, e2v).
The Technology Transfer Centre in Birmingham
and the Rapid Prototyping Centre in
Nottingham are enabling co-location, with
shared office and laboratory space. Fraunhofer
Centre for Applied Photonics continues to be
co-located with the University of Strathclyde.
Inward and outward secondments, and
co-supervised PhD students, all contribute
to a common understanding of the scientific
potential and market requirements. Co-locating
metrology work at NPL and our partnerships
with Dstl, e2v, M Squared Lasers and Chronos
are providing direct routes to market. Additional
collaborative funding has been sought and
won, and QT Hub partnership funding has
been allocated. These industrially focused
projects support the QT Hub’s mission and
strengthen collaboration with partners.
Engaging with industry in the first year of
the QT Hub has raised awareness within
industry of quantum technologies, prompted
requests for further information and dialogue,
and sparked creativity. It has also steered
developments, allowing user needs,
industry standards, market segmentation
and engineering implications to be better
understood and incorporated at the earliest
stages of technology development and within
future plans. It has helped us towards our
objective of building the market and interlinking
with researchers in academia and industry.
55
56
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Engagement with potential users of novel products
The companies, organisations and
professionals who will use the new products
and tools developed by the Hub range
from geophysical surveyors and medical
professionals to utility and ICT engineers.
Our prototyping work packages (5–9) and
technology transfer work packages (10–12)
have been designed specifically to derive
high impact from Hub activities. The Hub
is outward-facing and is demonstrating the
potential of the new quantum sensors at
trade fairs and workshops, and in follow-up
discussions. This is stimulating ideas and
markets for developing and using quantum
sensors in a range of environments, highlighting
potential new business opportunities for users
and outlining the implications for changes to
existing practices.
These events have included:
Visit of Lockheed Martin
January 2015
Birmingham
International Navigation Conference
February 2015
Manchester
Navigation meeting
April 2015
Cambridge
Sustainable Exploitation of the Subsurface,
Geological Society
May 2015
London
UTC Aerospace Systems
May 2015
Birmingham
QT for Space Workshop (RAL)
June 2015
Birmingham
Dstl meeting – working together
June 2015
Windsor
Telecoms market for clocks
July 2015
Ipswich
Visit of Plextek
July 2015
Birmingham
Visit of Darlington, Terra Data
July 2015
Birmingham
Invited talk at American Express Europe
September 2015
Brighton
Greater Birmingham and the West Midlands –
a European Home of Advanced Manufacturing
and Innovation
September 2015
Belgium
Gravity Uses (Road Mapping) Workshop, in
association with ColdQuanta
September 2015
London
Aerospace Growth Partnership Future Flight
Deck programme discussion of QT
October 2015
Birmingham
ICT 2015
October 2015
Portugal
Meet the Hubs event
October 2015
Ipswich
Royal Society Quantum Industry Showcase
November 2015
London
University of Birmingham VC Business
Engagement Meeting
November 2015
Birmingham
Innovate 2015
November 2015
London
Elips, UK Space Agency
November 2015
London
Assessing the Underworld
December 2015
Southampton
EMTECH, NPL
February 2016
Teddington
SPIE Photonics West Exhibition and Conference
February 2016
USA
Engagement and Pathways to Impact
Engagement with clients, civil servants and policy makers
The local, national and international political
environment is being affected by the UK
National Quantum Technologies Programme
and QT Hub’s advocacy work. The QT
Hub members have already taken many
opportunities to engage directly with UK
and international policy makers, promoting
the opportunities presented by quantum
technologies, and the achievements of the UK
National Quantum Technologies Programme.
Events which facilitate engagement with policy
makers include:
HRH Duke of York (left) meeting Professor Mark
Frombold during a visit to QT Hub, University
of Birmingham
Visit of Greg Clarke
November 2014
Birmingham
UK/US – MOD/DOD meeting
February 2015
Chicheley
QT Singapore (British High Commission in
Singapore)
March 2015
Singapore
European discussions on QT workshop
May 2015
Belgium
GCHQ invited talk on the opportunities of
quantum technologies for national security
June 2015
Cheltenham
Royal Society Soiree – Summer Exhibition
July 2015
London
Visit of Mark Garnier MP
July 2015
Birmingham
Visit of Gareth Davies, BIS
September 2015
Birmingham
Government Office for Science Quantum Expert
Round Table
September 2015
London
September 2015
London
Visit of HRH Duke of York
September 2015
Birmingham
Greater Birmingham and the West Midlands – a
European Home of Advanced Manufacturing and
Innovation
September 2015
Belgium
Visit of Neil Stansfield and Andy Bell (Dstl)
September 2015
Birmingham
Royal Society Quantum Industry Showcase
November 2015
London
UK parliament exhibition
November 2015
London
QMI opening (NPL)
November 2015
Teddington
Visit of Lt Col Vic Putz, Physics Program
Manager, Air Force Office of Scientific Research
(AFOSR), European Office of Aerospace
Research and Development (EOARD)
November 2015
Birmingham
EU parliament quantum lunch meeting
December 2015
Belgium
Visit of BIS
February 2016
Birmingham
Visit of UKTI Germany
February 2016
Birmingham
57
58
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Engagement with researchers
Our researchers ensure wide awareness of the
Hub’s findings and benefits to the academic
and professional practitioner community through
a publication strategy focusing on high-impact
journals, as listed on the opposite page, as well
as key conferences and events. Undergraduate
and postgraduate students at the collaborating
institutions are benefiting from teaching in
areas of cutting-edge research. Students’ and
researchers’ influence, and advocacy of the
research outcomes, continues as they pursue
their careers and obtain positions in industry and
academia. Current routes to influence policy are
listed in the following pages, as are publications,
conferences and events.
QT Hub participants hold positions
on advisory boards for:
EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training on
Coherent Quantum Dynamics at Imperial
College (W Hensinger)
 EPSRC COMPASS project (W Hensinger)
 EPSRC ADDRFSS project (W Hensinger)
The impact of this advice is reported to be
improved teaching, better training, improved
student satisfaction and the realisation of
quantum technologies.
QT Hub participants also hold positions
on the following committees:
 Global Young Academy – Open Science
group (M Peccianti, member)
 Global Young Academy – Global Access
to Research Software group
(M Peccianti, member)
 Global Young Academy General Meeting
(M Peccianti, member)
 Institute of Physics Quantum Optics,
Quantum Information and Quantum Control
Group (M Fromhold, Chair)
 Photoptics 2015, 3rd International
Conference on Photonics, Optics
and Laser Technology, Berlin, Germany
(P Horak, Programme Committee Member)
 Photoptics 2016, 4th International
Conference on Photonics, Optics and
Laser Technology, Rome, Italy (P Horak,
Programme Committee Member)
 4th International Workshop on Specialty
Optical Fibers WSOF 2015, Hong Kong,
China; (P Horak, Programme
Committee Member)
 SPIE Photonics Europe 2016 conference,
Brussels, Belgium (P Horak, Programme
Committee Member)
 Optical Sensors, OSA Topical Meeting
2016, Vancouver, Canada (P Horak,
Programme Committee Member)
The impact of this work includes an improved
regulatory environment, improved educational
and skill level of the workforce, and changed
public attitudes on social issues.
Engagement and Pathways to Impact
PUBLICATIONS
45o tilted gratings for silica-based integrated polarizers, M T Posner, P Mennea, N Podoliak. P Horak, J C Gates, P G R Smith, 2015
(Conference Proceeding_Abstract)
Atom interferometric cooling: PRL 115, 073004 (2015)
Burst-mode operation of a 655GHz mode locked laser based on an 11-th order microring resonator, L Jin, A Pasquazi, K S Tsang, V Ho, M
Peccianti, A Cooper, L Caspani, M Ferrera, B E Little, D J Moss, 2015
Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics of Continuously Monitored Bose-Condensed Atoms, M Lee, J Ruostekoski, 2015
Comparative simulations of Fresnel holography methods for atomic waveguides, V Henderson, P Griffin, E Riis, A Arnold, 2016
Cross-polarized photon-pair generation and bi-chromatically pumped optical parametric oscillation on a chip, C Reimer, M Kues, L Caspani, B
Wetzel, P Roztocki, M Clerici, Y Jestin, M Ferrera, M Peccianti, A Pasquazi, 2015,
Determining graphene’s induced band gap with magnetic and electric emitters, J Werra, P Krüger, K Busch, F Intravaia, 2016
Development of a strontium optical lattice clock for the SOC mission on the ISS, K Bongs, 2015
Diffraction grating characterisation for cold-atom experiments, J McGilligan, P Griffin, E Riis, A S Arnold, 2016
Four wave mixing in 5th order cascaded CMOS compatible ring resonators, L Jin, A Pasquazi, L Di Lauro, M Peccianti, B E Little, D J Moss, R
Morandotti, S T Chu, 2015.
Graphene-hexagonal boron nitride resonant tunneling diodes as high-frequency oscillators, J Gaskell, L Eave, K Novoselov, A Mishchenko, A
Geim, T Fromhold, M Greenaway, 2015
Ground-State Cooling of a Trapped Ion Using Long-Wavelength Radiation, S Weidt, J Randall, S C Webster, E D Standing, A Rodriguez, A E
Webb, B Lekitsch, W K Hensinger, 2015
Holographic atomic waveguides NJP 18, 025007 (2016)
Inductively guided atom guides Nature Comm. 5, 5289 (2014)
Integrated bi-chromatically pumped optical parametric oscillator for orthogonally polarized photon pair generation, C Reimer, M Kues, L Caspani,
B Wetzel, P Roztocki, M Clerici, Y Jestin, M Ferrera, M Peccianti, A Pasquazi, 2015,
Light propagation beyond the mean-field theory of standard optic, J Javanainen, J Ruostekoski, 2016
Localized Single Frequency Lasing States in a Finite Parity-Time Symmetric Resonator Chain, S Phang, A Vukovic, S Creagh, P Sewell, G
Gradoni, T Benson, 2016
Multi-qubit gate with trapped ions for microwave and laser-based implementation I Cohen, S Weidt, W Hensinger, A Retzker, 2015.
Nanoscale roughness micromilled silica evanescent refractometer, L G Carpenter, P A Cooper, C Holmes, C B E Gawith, J C Gates, P G R
Smith, 2015
Narrow linewidth visible/UV semiconductor disk lasers for quantum technologies, D Paboeuf, B Jones, J Rodríguez-García, P Schlosser, D
Swierad, J Hughes, O Kock, L Smith, K Bongs, Y Singh,
Nature Physics 11, pp615–617 (2015) www.nature.com/nphys/journal/v11/n8/full/nphys3427.html
Phase-space properties of magneto-optical traps utilising micro-fabricated gratings, J McGilligan, P Griffin, E Riis, A Arnold, 2015
Planarised optical fiber composite using flame hydrolysis deposition demonstrating an integrated FBG anemometer, C Holmes, J C Gates, P G R
Smith, 2014
Quantum Hub for Sensor and Metrology, Y Singh, 2015
Quantum Sensors for Civil Engineers, Y Singh, 2015
Radio-frequency dressed lattices for ultracold alkali atoms, German A, Sinuco-León, 2015
Resonant tunnelling between the chiral Landau states of twisted graphene lattices, M Greenaway, E Vdovin, A Mishchenko, O Makarovsky, A
Patane, J Wallbank, Y Cao, A Kretinin, M Zhu, S Morozov, 2015
Sagnac Interferometry with a Single Atomic Clock, R Stevenson, M R Hush, T Bishop, I Lesanovsky, T Fernholz, 2015.
Space Optical Clocks – a quantum technology for space, Y Singh, 2015
Spectrally resolved pulse evolution in a mode-locked vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser from lasing onset measurements, A Turnbull, C
Head, E Shaw, T Chen-Sverre, A Tropper, 2015
Talk – Towards the next generation of portable and affordable brain imaging tools, A Kowalczyk, K Bongs, K Shapiro, A Mazaheri, 2015
Transportable/Portable/Space Optical Lattice Clock, Y Singh, 2015
Psi in the sky, K Bongs, M Holynski, Y Singh, 2015
59
60
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Conferences and events
'Public Perception of Quantum Technologies', panel discussion
November 2014
Germany
Seminar at National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder
December 2014
USA
Invited Colloquium – opportunities of quantum technologies
January 2015
Bristol
Navigation conference
February 2015
Manchester
Dstl Defence Community event
March 2015
Glasgow
CLEO
May 2015
USA
Sustainable Exploitation of the Subsurface
May 2015
London
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS 2015)
July 2015
Czech Rep.
SUSSP71 Summer School
July 2015
UoSt, Glasgow
Invited talk, 'Nonequilibrium quantum dynamics in low dimensions'
July 2015
Durham
Visit of Alex Orlov (USA)
July 2015
Birmingham
Dstl Business and Innovation Skills PhD Summer School
August 2015
Birmingham
IIP School: Strongly Coupled Field Theories for Condensed Matter and Quantum Information Theory
August 2015
Brazil
IIP Workshop: Strongly Coupled Field Theories for Condensed Matter and Quantum Information Theory
August 2015
Brazil
International Institute of Physics Conference
August 2015
Brazil
Seminar at National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder
August 2015
USA
QUAMP 2015
September 2015
Brighton
National Quantum conference
September 2015
Oxford
Dstl Defence Community event
September 2015
Loughborough
Quantum UK 2015, UKNQTP Conference
September 2015
Oxford
Photonics Day
September 2015
Southampton
COST IC1208
September 2015
Hungary
ICT
October 2015
Portugal
Workshop on Optically Pumped Magnetometry
October 2015
Finland
Systems Engineering in QT workshop
October 2015
Birmingham
Asia Communications and Photonics Conference (ACP) 2015
November 2015
Hong Kong
Innovate 2015
November 2015
London
Invited Colloquium – opportunities of quantum technologies
November 2015
Germany
Institute of Physics – Hybrid Quantum Systems Far From Equilibrium
November 2015
Chicheley
Atomes Froids
December 2015
France
Atom interferometer workshop
December 2015
France
Invited Colloquium – opportunities of quantum technologies
December 2015
Loughborough
Workshop on Magnetometry as a Quantum Technology
December 2015
UoSt, Glasgow
JILA seminar
December 2015
USA
Holger Muller’s atomic physics group seminar, Berkeley University
December 2015
USA
Talk at UCL-CDT school
December 2015
Chicheley
Visit of Mark Kasevich
December 2015
Birmingham
Invited Colloquium – opportunities of quantum technologies
January 2016
Germany
Institute of Physics lecture
January 2016
Edinburgh
Guest undergraduate lecture on quantum technologies, part of the 'Modern Applications of Physics:
From Research to Industry (F34AAP)' module
January 2016
Nottingham
Geo-engineering Seminar Series 2015
January 2016
Canada
Midlands Innovation Photonics Event
January 2016
Aston
Winter Colloquium on the Physics of Quantum Electronics
January 2016
USA
Institute of Physics lecture
February 2016
Birmingham
SU2P Workshop on Diamond for Quantum Technology and Sensors
February 2016
UoSt, Glasgow
SPIE Photonics West Conference and Exhibition
February 2016
USA
Engagement and Pathways to Impact
Public engagement
The QT Hub is proactive in public engagement,
using social media, TV, radio and the press,
as well as presenting and exhibiting magnetooptical trap (MOT) demonstrators at prestigious
science festivals and other events. Two-way
dialogue, forming part of our Responsible
Research and Innovation work, has raised
awareness, led to further invitations to engage,
sparked discussion and lots of questions.
These events have included:
Qubitter invited public lecture
December 2014
Loughborough
Scottish Launch of the International Year of Light
demonstration system for laser cooling of atoms
February 2015
Edinburgh
A Pint of Science. Public lecture
May 2015
Southampton
The Times Cheltenham Science Festival invited
public lectures
June 2015
Cheltenham
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
July 2015
London
Dundee Science Festival, demonstration of MOT
November 2015
Dundee
Open Day talks on Quantum Technologies
Various, 2015
Nottingham
Demonstration of laser cooling of atoms in a
magneto-optical trap (MOT)
Various, 2015
University of St
Andrews
Our press and social media coverage has included:
Scientists Freeze Atoms to Near Absolute Zero
July 2015
Press release re: Duke of York visit
September 2015
Linkedin/pulse
October 2015
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
The Times
November 2015
Photo credit: Lingxiao Zhu
Transport Network
November 2015
University of Birmingham – How can quantum technology make the underground visible?
November 2015
New Electronics – Future technology on show at Quantum Technology Showcase
November 2015
Laboratorytalk – Quantum research in the spotlight
November 2015
The Engineer – Quantum technology roadmap unveiled for the UK
November 2015
Design Products and Applications – UK’s Quantum Hubs show future technology
November 2015
Process Engineering – Quantum research in the spotlight
November 2015
Process and Control Today – UK's Quantum Hubs show future technology
November 2015
Phys.org – UK’s Quantum Hubs show future technology
November 2015
Eureka magazine – Future technology on show at Quantum Technology Showcase
November 2015
Bloomberg Business – UK’s Quantum Hubs show future technology
November 2015
Optics.org – Quantum buzz as metrology institute opens
November 2015
Compute Scotland – Anyone for Quantum Hubs?
November 2015
Marinelink.com – UK’s Quantum Hubs show future technology
November 2015
University of Bristol – UK’s Quantum Hubs show future technology
November 2015
@Sensors_QTHub
February 2016
In addition to direct public engagement,
primary activities with national press have
included Professor Kai Bongs being
interviewed by journalist Tom Whipple about
gravity sensing, resulting in an article in The
Times on 16 November 2015. This article led
to an increase in requests for information and
discussion, and other media outlets picked up
the story. This added to coverage of the Royal
Society Quantum Industry Showcase to make
November 2015 a hot spot for the QT Hub
in the press. QT Hub researchers have also
been involved in filming at Dstl, preparing two
documentaries for broadcast on the BBC.
61
62
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Quantum Sensors and Metrology Community
Directed by the drive, vision and ambition of Professor Bongs, the QT Hub is becoming internationally
recognised as a centre of excellence for quantum sensors and metrology. Our researchers have already
won £2.1 million plus €1 million of additional research and development funding, which underpins and
reinforces the original investment in the QT Hub, strengthening our ability to deliver our objectives.
This development funding is in addition to fundamental science funding which is standard for university
research groups, and will continue to feed our QT development pipeline. Several members of our large
and growing research team have been recognised and rewarded, and some of the intellectual property
generated has already received patent protection in preparation for licensing.
Our people are developing within the QT sector, through PhD schools, secondments and career
progression from academia to industry. Our academic and commercial collaborations are growing; both
expanding our network and deepening the relationships with key partners through new formal funded
collaborations and instances of accessing facilities and expertise.
QT people
QT Hub embraces the expertise of
numerous internationally recognised
researchers. Recent examples of this
continuing recognition are:
 D Paul, awarded Institute of Physics
President’s Medal
 D Paul, awarded EPSRC Quantum
Technologies Fellowship
 P Smith, awarded EPSRC Quantum
Technologies Fellowship
 W Hensinger, invited speaker at:
COMPASS external advisory board
meeting, January 2016, Liphook,
Hampshire; Microwaves Go Quantum,
602. WE-Heraeus-Seminar November
2015, Physikzentrum Bad Honnef,
Germany; Control of Quantum Dynamics
of Atoms, Molecules and Ensembles
by Light Workshop 2015, Nessebar,
Bulgaria; 46th Annual DAMOP Meeting,
June 2015, Columbus, Ohio; QION 2015
Workshop on Quantum Information and
Quantum Dynamics in Ion Traps, March
2015, Tel Aviv, Israel; SEPNet Quantum
Technologies Winter School 2015, January
2015, Liphook, Hampshire
 M Peccianti, invited as keynote speaker at:
NICE OPTICS 2016, October 2016
 B Garraway, invited as keynote speaker
at: Winter Colloquium on the Physics
of Quantum Electronics, Utah, USA;
Atomtronics workshop, Benasque,
Spain, May 2015; CAMEL 11 workshop,
Nessebar, Bulgaria, 2015
 V Boyer, invited as keynote speaker at:
QuTe 2015 – Sheffield
 M Fromhold, Chair of Institute of Physics
Quantum Optics, Quantum Information
and Quantum Control Group, 2015
To stay at the forefront, our technology
partners will need to find the human
resources able to move seamlessly between
quantum physics and industrial engineering.
The Hub will produce many people with
industrially relevant capabilities, including
PhDs and research staff. To aid the creation
of a quantum community across the UK, six
researchers have already moved between
academic institutions and industry.
Komal Pahwa was seconded from the
University of Birmingham to M Squared
Lasers Ltd until April 2015, to aid the transfer
of cold atom knowledge to M Squared Lasers
to enable the development of commercial
products in this area. A first impact was the
investment of company money to lead an
Innovate UK collaboration project to take this
further towards commercialisation. In addition
the company has developed a demonstrator,
which was shown at events such as the
Innovate UK conference and the National QT
Showcase event, engaging wider industry
and the public in QT. John Malcolm was then
seconded from the University of Birmingham
to M Squared Lasers Ltd from May 2015.
This secondment is to continue the transfer
of knowledge on atom interferometry to the
company to enable development of products
in this area. It has resulted in company
investment to lead an Innovate UK project in
this area and its follow-on project.
Marco Menchetti and Miguel Dovale have
both been seconded for 18 months from
the University of Birmingham to the National
Physical Laboratory (NPL). This has led to
collaboration on the development of laser
stabilisation and enhancement with optical
cavities and the development of nextgeneration optical time standards.
Ole Kock is now employed by e2v,
transferring the cold atoms knowledge and
working relationships he gained while working
at the University of Birmingham to e2v, and
has achieved cold atoms within e2v’s new QT
testing area. In addition, the role for a systems
engineer was specifically recruited to work
with the QT Hub. Steve Maddox fulfils
this role.
Daniele Parrotta has accepted a position at
Laser Quantum, transferring his QT special
laser skills from the University of Strathclyde
to industry.
Quantum Sensors and Metrology Community
Supply chain technologies
The researchers who have contributed, to a greater or lesser extent, to the supply chain development work packages (1–4) are:
WP1
WP2
WP3
WP4
Glasgow
D Paul
D Cumming, D Gourlay, D Lang,
D MacIntyre, E Ghisetti, E Wyllie,
F Schupp, G Ternent, H Li, H Zhou,
J Kirdoda, J Marsh, M Sorel, M Steer,
R Roger, S Thoms, Y Ding
Nottingham
M Fromhold
A Finke, A Rushforth, C Mellor, C Morley,
C Petrucci, E Da Ros, F Gentile, F Orucevic,
J Ferreras, J Maclean, J Moss, L Hackermüller,
M Greenaway, N Welch, P Krüger, R Beardsley,
R Campion, R Crawford, R Saint, R Vanhouse,
R Wildman, S Novikov, T Barrett, T Benson,
T Foxon, T James, T Pyragius, W Evans
Strathclyde
J Hastie
A Kemp, D Paboeuf,
D Parrotta, L Caspani
Birmingham
M Attallah
G Voulazeris,
M Holynski,
M Perea, Y Gaber
Birmingham
J Malcolm, M Holynski
Southampton
A Dragomir, C Holmes, M Aldous,
M Himsworth, R Roy
Southampton
A Tropper, A Turnbull, E Shaw,
J Ruostekoski, M Gouveia, M Samoylova,
M Turvey, P Horak, R Head, T Chen Sverre
Nottingham
R Wildman
Nottingham
L Hackermuller, S Piano
Sussex
A Nizamani, B Garraway, B Lekitsch, E Potter,
G Sinuco, H Bostock, J Cooling, W Hensinger
Sussex
A Pasquazi, E Potter, H Lang, J Cooling,
L DiLauro, L Peters, M Peccianti
Prototyping
The researchers who have contributed, to a greater or lesser extent, to the prototyping work packages (5–9) are:
WP5
WP6
WP7
WP8
WP9
Birmingham
K Bongs
A Freise, A Hinton, A Kaushik,
A Lamb, A Niggebaum, A Stabrawa,
C Rammeloo, D Brown, G Voulazeris,
L Zhu, M Cruise, M Perea, M Holynski,
S Plant, S Viswam, Y Lien
Nottingham
P Krüger
A Finke, A Gadge, F Gentile,
F Orucevic, J Maclean, M Brookes,
N Garrido, N Gonzalez, R Bowtell,
R Crawford, R Saint, R Wildman,
S Dhatturi, T Bishop, T James, X Li
Southampton
T Freegarde
A Dragomir, C Gawith,
D Richardson, M Carey,
M Gouveia, M Himsworth,
M Belal, M Aldous, P Smith,
Y Bradbury
Strathclyde
E. Riis
A. Arnold, J. McGilligan,
P. Griffin, R. Elvin
Birmingham
V. Boyer
J. Hordell,
P. Petrov
Southampton
A Dragomir, C Holmes,
M Aldous, M Himsworth, R Roy
Nottingham
M Fromhold, M Bason,
(P Krüger), T Fernholz,
T Pyragius
Birmingham
B Megyeri, D Swierad, J Hughes,
K Bongs, M Dovale, M Menchetti,
W He, Y Singh, Q Ubaid
Strathclyde
A Arnold, A Kemp, E Riis,
J Hastie, P Griffin, S Ingleby
Sussex
B Garraway, G Sinuco
Sussex
A Blanco, A Nizamani,
B Lekitsch, E Potter, H Bostock,
M Akhtar, S Weidt, W Hensinger
Strathclyde
A Arnold, E Riis, J Halket,
P Griffin, V Henderson, Y Kale
Market building and management
The researchers who have contributed, to a greater or lesser extent, to the market building and management work packages (10–13) are:
WP10
WP11
WP12
WP13
Birmingham
C Constantinou
A Kowalczyk, S Plant
Birmingham
N Metje
D Boddice, V Gaffney
Glasgow
D Paul
Birmingham
J Smart
A Schofield, C Keeton, D Davies, D Swanton, F Colacino, G Barontini,
G Howell, J Wilkie, K Bongs, L Booth, L Heath, L Vernall, M Chung,
M Freer, M Turner, R Fox, R Mahoon, R Malik, T Palubicki, X Rodde
e2v
P John
O Kock, S Maddox
Glasgow
M Anderson
Nottingham
D Sims, G Rice, P Milligan
Southampton
C Di Chio, D Woolley
Strathclyde
D Reid
Sussex
K O’Brien
63
64
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Intellectual assets
The management of intellectual property rights
(IPR) and exploitation activities within the
Hub is co-ordinated through Alta Innovations
Ltd, the technology transfer company of the
University of Birmingham, working closely
with the other institutions’ technology transfer
offices.
Capture, protection, management and
exploitation of IPR connected to or arising
from the Hub is achieved by a quality system
procedure. This latter encompasses a
collection of standard operating procedures
which ensure consistency, oversight and
guidance for the Hub members. IPR training
has been provided locally to the staff of each
university as well as centrally during Hub
general meetings.
To date, over 40 recorded disclosures
and patent filings have been made, with a
projected increase over the coming months
following further technological developments.
Quantum Sensors and Metrology Community
Collaborations
The Hub develops and evolves collaborations
and partnerships with a range of stakeholders,
in particular with industry and the other
QT Hubs, to develop a synergistic national
network of quantum technologies capabilities.
New collaborations have been forged
between selections of our Hub universities
and organisations from within and outside
the UK. These collaborations have already led
to detailed designs, funding applications and
the placement of students.
Our pool of advisors further expands
our horizons to ensure the QT Hub
works effectively within the UK and
European QT, science, technology and
innovation communities.
To facilitate the feeling of community and
to provide tangible access to facilities and
people with knowledge, new bespoke facilities
have been created within the QT Hub:
the Rapid Prototyping Facility for Quantum
Technologies at The University of Nottingham
to facilitate industrial collaboration on atom
traps; and the QT Technology Transfer Centre
at the University of Birmingham to allow
co-location with industry, providing
office space and access to QT cold atom
laboratories. These technology transfer
facilities are already populated with
academics, and demonstrate some of the
work in lasers, atomics package, gravity,
magnetometry, clocks and civil engineering.
They receive numerous industrial and
academic visitors, many on a frequent
basis with a view to co-locating people and
equipment within the next few months.
Organisation
Collaboration
Chalmers University of
Technology
In-kind contribution to surface sensors collaboration with NPL, Humboldt University
of Berlin and The University of Nottingham on cold atom microscopy on graphene
samples and hyperbolic metamaterials.
ColdQuanta
Innovate UK 'Commercial Portable Gravity Meters Based on Quantum Technologies',
a feasibility study with Birmingham and M Squared Lasers.
Dstl
Multiple projects, studentships and events, co-location of staff within Technology
Transfer Centre, Birmingham.
e2v
Innovate UK 'FreezeRay', compatibility study with Birmingham and Gooch & Housego.
Further joint proposals in preparation.
European Space
Agency
Joint funding of student.
Fraunhofer
Innovate UK 'COALESCe: COmpAct Light Engines for Strontium Optical Clocks',
with M Squared Lasers and Strathclyde.
Innovate UK 'CLOCWORC: Compact Low-cost Optical Clocks based on
Whispering gallery mOde Resonator frequency Combs', with M Squared Lasers.
Gooch & Housego
Innovate UK 'FreezeRay', compatibility study with Birmingham and e2v.
The Heart Hospital,
London
Partnership funding project with UCL.
Heriot-Watt University
National programme events.
Humboldt University
of Berlin
In-kind contribution to surface sensors collaboration with NPL, Chalmers University
of Technology and The University of Nottingham on cold atom microscopy on
graphene samples and hyperbolic metamaterials.
M Squared Lasers
Innovate UK 'Commercial Portable Gravity Meters Based on Quantum Technologies'.
Innovate UK ‘PAINTS: Practical Atom Interferometer System’.
Innovate UK ‘QuDOS: Quantum technologies using Diffractive Optical Structures’.
Innovate UK ‘COALESCe: COmpAct Light Engines for Strontium Optical Clocks’,
with Fraunhofer and Strathclyde.
Innovate UK ‘CLOCWORC: Compact Low-cost Optical Clocks based on
Whispering gallery mOde Resonator frequency Combs’, with Fraunhofer.
Partnership funding project with Glasgow.
Partnership funding project with Durham.
National Physical
Laboratory (NPL)
Single tunable cavity to stabilise five different laser wavelengths; Q-sense EU
H2020 project; surface sensors collaboration with Humboldt University of Berlin,
Chalmers University of Technology and The University of Nottingham on cold atom
microscopy on graphene samples and hyperbolic metamaterials; secondment of
students; magnetometry discussions; partnership funding project with Sussex.
Oxford University
National programme events; magnetometry discussions.
RAL
Joint proposals submitted for funding.
Royal Holloway
University
National programme events.
RSK
Innovate UK 'SIGMA: Study of Industrial Gravity Measurement Applications'.
University of Bath
National programme events.
University of Bristol
National programme events.
University of
Cambridge
National programme events.
University College,
London
Magnetometry discussions; partnership funding project.
University of Leeds
National programme events.
University of Sheffield
National programme events.
University of Warwick
National programme events.
University of York
National programme events.
65
66
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology Annual Report 2014–15
Use of partnership resource
In our successful proposal to the ESPRC,
we stated that an allocation of £5.2 million,
equivalent to nearly 21% of the recurrent
costs, has been made available for use as
partnership resource.
The proposal further sets out our
assumptions that:
 35% (£1.82 million) will be used for new
academic collaborations, which in turn has
been apportioned between both directly
allocated staff (£364k) as well as directly
incurred (£1.456 million).
 10% (£520k) will be allocated to cover
the travel and subsistence costs
associated with secondments to industry
or other institutions which are developed
as the proof of concept work becomes
ripe for translation.
 50% (£2.6 million) will be allocated to
running sandpit events with industry to
develop new ideas for application of the
emerging technology and then funding
the most promising ideas through to
demonstration of prototypes in a relevant
or operational environment (TRL6/7).
This should de-risk the technology, making
it more likely that industry will seek to
invest in the next stage of development.
 5% (£260k) will be allocated to running
an annual conference and more frequent
topical workshops which will ensure that
the community can both publicise the
achievements of the Hub and engage
regularly with the best scientists and
industry in the world.
This allocation did not foresee the EPSRC
requirement to use partnership resource to
allow the QT Hub to support, participate
in, and sometimes host National Quantum
Technologies Programme events,
including the annual conference and annual
industry showcase.
The partnership resource is being distributed
by the management board, in consultation with
our Application and Technology Exploitation
Panel (ATEP), to fund exciting new developments.
A call for proposals is continuously open,
and publicised on the QT Hub website
(http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/qthub).
Institution (sponsor)
Area
Sussex (NPL)
Clocks
UCL (The Heart
Hospital, London)
Magnet
Durham (M Squared
Lasers)
Microwave
and THz
Birmingham
Workshops
Nottingham
Workshops
Glasgow
Workshops
Strathclyde
Workshops
Sussex
Workshops
Southampton
Workshops
Birmingham
UKNQTP
Birmingham
UKNQTP
Glasgow (M Squared
Lasers)
Lasers
Birmingham
Business
Director
Nottingham
Network
Initial focus has been on funding new
academic collaborations, with the majority
of the demonstration of prototypes funding
expected to be allocated in the coming years.
The management board are keen to use the
flexibility of partnership resource funds to
focus resources and respond to opportunities
that arise during the lifetime of the project.
The following projects have been approved
for funding (correct on 29 February 2016):
Type of activity
Allocation
100% FEC £k
% of partnership
resource fund
1857
35.7
302
5.8
Demonstration of
prototype
405 (max)
7.8
Travel/secondment
250
4.8
£2386k
46%
New academic
collaboration
Workshops
National programme
events
To be allocated
Effective and efficient operations
The QT hub, led by Kai Bongs, is responsible
for the effective and efficient use of the public
funds awarded to meet the agreed objectives
of: building a supply chain for quantum sensor
technology; building a set of prototypes;
and building the market and interlinking with
researchers in academia and industry.
This is being achieved, guided by the advice
received from the expert advisory panels,
through allocating, and re-allocating, grant
and other resources across the consortium
Funding is only distributed to universities,
at up to 80% of FEC, and each project must
have industrial support.
to facilitate progress towards our objectives,
identifying and building upon synergies with
other groups, including KTN, industry groups
and other parts of the UKNQT Programme,
as seen in the conferences and events and
collaborations sections of this report.
Quantum Sensors and Metrology Community
Further funding
£2.1 million plus €1 million of additional
funding related to the QT Hub has been
received from the EPSRC, the European
Commission, the European Space
Agency, the University of Birmingham, the
EPSRC Follow-On Fund, The University
of Nottingham, Defence Science and
Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Innovate UK
under the following schemes:
 ‘Quantum sensors – from the lab to the
field (Qu-sense)’: MSCA-RISE-2015 –
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and
Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE)
 ‘FreezeRay’ collaborative research
and development
 ‘Commercial Portable Gravity Meters
Based on Quantum Technologies’
feasibility study
 PAINTS: collaborative research
and development
Other large-scale projects related to the
QT Hub include:
 £128 million of BIS/HMT funding for
UKCRIC – UK Collaboratorium for
Research in Infrastructure and Cities.
This includes £21 million for the
construction of a unique, national largescale test facility for buried infrastructure.
This will be invaluable for the testing of
QT gravity sensors.
 £60 million Energy Research Accelerator
 £3 million joint-funded GeoEnergy
Research Centre (GERC)
 Quantum Metrology Institute at NPL
 SIGMA: feasibility study
 COALESCe: technology programme
 CLOCWORC: feasibility study
 ESA NPI (European Space Agency
Networking/Partnering Initiative)
 Knowledge transfer secondments
 QuDOS
 Microfabricated optics for
quantum technologies
 Dstl – studentships
 Research priority area
 Dstl DSTLX-1000094497 Lattice Clock
 Dstl DSTLX-1000094114 HCF +
Yb+ clocks
 Dstl gravity imager
 Dstl microcomb
 Joint UK–France Dstl quantum
technology studentship
Grant spend profile
Birmingham
Birmingham Actual
Glasgow
Glasgow Actual
Nottingham
Nottingham Actual
Southampton
Southampton Actual
Strathclyde
Strathclyde Actual
Sussex
Sussex Actual
6
5
4
£ Million
The UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors
and Metrology is supported by the EPSRC
UK Quantum Technologies Programme under
grant EP/M013294/1. Spend across the
universities within the consortium is broadly
on plan, indicating that the appropriate
investment in staff and equipment has been
made at the start of the programme to
facilitate the delivery of our objectives.
3
2
1
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Governance and advisors
The QT Hub is managed and controlled by
the management board, who are advised by
the Application and Technology Exploitation
Panel (ATEP) which meets quarterly, and
the External Advisory Board (EAB) which
meets twice a year. These boards also share
members with the UKNQT Programme
Strategic Advisory Board (SAB).
Kai Bongs has overall responsibility for the
EPSRC grant. The management board values
and acts upon the advice and guidance from
ATEP and EAB when making decisions.
Management Board
Chair – Kai Bongs
ATEP
Chair – S Till, Dstl
EAB
Chair – T Cross, e2v
Andy Schofield (Birmingham),
Anne Tropper (Southampton),
Barry Garraway (Sussex),
Douglas J Paul (Glasgow),
James Wilkie (Alta Innovations),
Jennifer Hastie (Strathclyde),
Mark Fromhold (Nottingham),
Patrick Gill (NPL), Peter Krüger
(Nottingham), Stephen Till (Dstl),
Trevor Cross (e2v)
Brendan Casey (Kelvin
Nanotechnology), Cliff Weatherup
(e2v), David Miles (Elekta),
Emanuele Rocco (Niu Tech),
George Tuckwell (RSK),
Graeme Malcolm (M Squared
Lasers), James Wilkie (Alta
Innovations), Leon Lobo (NPL),
Lydia Hyde (BAE Systems),
Paul Wilkinson (British Geological
Survey), Philippa Ryan (The IET),
Richard Murray (Innovate UK)
Alison Hodge (Aston),
Andy Schofield (Birmingham),
Frances Saunders (ex-IOP),
Paul Thomas (GCHQ),
Richard Gunn (EPSRC),
Robin Hart (NPL), Simon Bennett
(Innovate UK), Stephen Till (Dstl),
Tom Rodden (Nottingham),
Wolfgang Ertmer (Hannover)
67
We already work with commercial partners from a range of industries
such as oil, gas and mineral exploration; civil engineering; rail, road
and pipe infrastructure network providers; and defence specialists.
We work with large end users to try and deliver application-specific
solutions, and with small specialised supply chain companies that
enable the devices that the hub designs, tests and builds. These
partnerships ensure we develop the right type of technology.
Are you an end user and think you have an application for timing,
gravity, magnetism or rotation sensors? Discuss with our team of
academics, scientists and engineers. We might be able to fund a
feasibility study or even help you build a technology demonstrator.
We have a partnership fund to help kick-start collaborative projects.
Max Turner
Partnership and Business Engagement Manager
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0)121 414 8283
www.birmingham.ac.uk/QTHub
UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology
School of Physics and Astronomy
University of Birmingham
Birmingham B15 2TT
www.birmingham.ac.uk/QTHub
twitter: @Sensors_QTHub
Professor Kai Bongs
QT Hub Director
UK Quantum Technology Hub
for Sensors and Metrology
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0)121 414 8278
13046 © University of Birmingham 2016. Printed on a recycled grade paper containing 100% post-consumer waste.
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE
From lab to market: the road map to portable
compact sensor devices