Covesion are pleased to announce their participation in an £10 million Innovate UK funded project QT Assemble. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.
The QT Assemble project aims to overcome technological barriers to create new markets in the exciting and ever evolving field of quantum technologies. The 14 collaborating companies aim to achieve this by increasing the reliability and reducing the size, weight, power and cost of laser components and systems. This will both boost the UK presence in this emerging market and enable easier adoption of the technology in real world applications.
Covesion are a major contributor to the project and will use their expertise of PPLN technology to design and manufacture waveguides as standalone and integrated components for the QT Assemble project.
The thirteen organisations and institutions included with the QT Assemble project include:
- Fraunhofer UK Research
- University of Strathclyde
- Inex Microtechnology
- University of Southampton
- PowerPhotonic
- Gooch & HouseGo (Torquay)
- Photon Force
- ColdQuanta UK
- Unilasers
- Covesion
- Redwave Labs
- Caledonian Photonics
- Alter Technology TUV Nord UK
- Aegiq
“Our PPLN wavelength conversion technology is an enabling element and integral part of all the QT Assemble technical work packages,” says Corin Gawith, CTO at Covesion. “This makes it our most comprehensive and ambitious quantum technology project to date. It is hard to predict how quantum technology will revolutionise the world in the next few decades; but it is undoubtedly the industrial revolution of our time.”
The consortium of UK companies involved with QT Assemble will combine their experience and industry knowledge to widen the exploitation of quantum technology in existing markets such as navigation and situational awareness, communications, and computing. The QT Assemble project will also stimulate more organisations and industries to utilise the benefits and new commercial opportunities available in the quantum market.
The QT Assemble programme, starting in September 2020, will last for 3 years. The programme will harness three major, innovative and disruptive integration and assembly processes including:
- Waveguide writing. Ultrafast laser inscription, direct UV laser writing and micromachining offers the possibility to define complex optical structures into any optically transparent material allowing for integration of complex active and passive QT components.
- Nanoscale alignment. Precision transfer printing and nanoscale alignment allows for efficient coupling between laser diodes, non-linear elements and single photon detectors that are naturally present in different material systems.
- Monolithic integration. Adhesion-free bonding and laser welding allows for robust integration of materials with the optimal thermal and optical interfaces.
Mike Day, CEO of Covesion comments, “We are very excited to working with such an experienced and forward-thinking consortium of companies on this Innovate UK project. The potential for quantum technologies is very real and new applications are well within our grasp. This project will highlight new commercial opportunities in quantum sensing and quantum information processing both for ourselves, our collaborating partners, and the industry as a whole. I am proud of the team, over the last few years they have truly defined Covesion as world leading experts in PPLN technology for the quantum sector.”
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