Engineering Quantum Technology Systems on a Silicon Platform
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Engineering
Abstract
The vision of this project is to develop practical quantum technology for the accurate measurement of electrical currents and to develop high sensitivity detectors for gases such as carbon dioxide, methane (the gas used to heat homes) and carbon dioxide. Single electron transistors allow only one electron to travel through the device when switched on to form the electrical current. If the control gate is switched at a high frequency then the current through the device is simply the frequency times the charge on an electron and by counting the number of electrons, the current can be accurately measured. All such devices to date only work at low temperatures due to the small energy difference between the quantum states required for the transistor. I am proposing to make a single electron transistor which is far smaller than any previous reported device that will have large energies between the quantum states and operate at room temperature.
Gas molecules absorb light at very specific wavelengths which in the mid-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum correspond to vibrational energy of the bonds which hold the atoms together to form the gas molecule. This provides a molecular fingerprint as each molecule only absorbs specific wavelengths which can therefore be used to identify the gas. Gas detectors already exist for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane gas by measuring the absorption of light at the molecular fingerprint wavelength but the sensitivity for small battery powered detectors in the home is at the level of parts per million. For many scientific, healthcare, industrial and security applications sensitivities require to be at least a thousand times better. To date systems for measuring at this accuracy are large, bulky and require large lasers. This proposal will use quantum technology to build a far smaller and cheaper chip scale gas detector with parts per billion sensitivity that could be integrated into mobile phones or used for battery power sensors.
I am proposing to use the quantum nature of light to produce 2 individual packets of light called photons which will be at the same wavelength and at the same phase where the peaks and troughs of the waves are at the same points in space as the light travels through a waveguide. Heisenburg's uncertainty principle only allows us to measure the amplitude or the phase of the photons with a specific accuracy and the product is a constant. If we squeeze the phase of the light so that the accuracy in measuring the phase is reduced then we can measure the amplitude more accurately since it is only the product of the two that we cannot measure at a higher accuracy. This quantum approach of squeezing light allows far more sensitive measurements that are forbidden in classical measurement systems.
The project brings together a range of UK companies, government agencies, standards laboratories and universities to deliver the portable current standard and the high sensitivity gas detector. I will be supplying demonstrators to a range of collaborators who will evaluate the performance with successful devices being transferred to UK companies to help develop next generation products. The project will also train 2 research associates and 2 PhD students in quantum technology.
Gas molecules absorb light at very specific wavelengths which in the mid-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum correspond to vibrational energy of the bonds which hold the atoms together to form the gas molecule. This provides a molecular fingerprint as each molecule only absorbs specific wavelengths which can therefore be used to identify the gas. Gas detectors already exist for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane gas by measuring the absorption of light at the molecular fingerprint wavelength but the sensitivity for small battery powered detectors in the home is at the level of parts per million. For many scientific, healthcare, industrial and security applications sensitivities require to be at least a thousand times better. To date systems for measuring at this accuracy are large, bulky and require large lasers. This proposal will use quantum technology to build a far smaller and cheaper chip scale gas detector with parts per billion sensitivity that could be integrated into mobile phones or used for battery power sensors.
I am proposing to use the quantum nature of light to produce 2 individual packets of light called photons which will be at the same wavelength and at the same phase where the peaks and troughs of the waves are at the same points in space as the light travels through a waveguide. Heisenburg's uncertainty principle only allows us to measure the amplitude or the phase of the photons with a specific accuracy and the product is a constant. If we squeeze the phase of the light so that the accuracy in measuring the phase is reduced then we can measure the amplitude more accurately since it is only the product of the two that we cannot measure at a higher accuracy. This quantum approach of squeezing light allows far more sensitive measurements that are forbidden in classical measurement systems.
The project brings together a range of UK companies, government agencies, standards laboratories and universities to deliver the portable current standard and the high sensitivity gas detector. I will be supplying demonstrators to a range of collaborators who will evaluate the performance with successful devices being transferred to UK companies to help develop next generation products. The project will also train 2 research associates and 2 PhD students in quantum technology.
Planned Impact
The quantum technologies being developed in this proposal will deliver both economic and social benefits in the areas of environmental monitoring, safety, standards, security and healthcare. The first beneficiaries are the UK companies who are partners to this proposal. They will gain new technologies and either new or improved products that can be taken to market for improve economic benefit.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has an annual procurement budget for technology of circa £18 Bn. DSTL has indicated an MOD requirement for the quantum technologies to be developed in this proposal which includes sub-shot noise portable chemical and biological weapons detectors and gravity imagers. I am engaged with Toshiba to investigate quantum communications systems which could potentially provide completely secure communications for internet commerce thereby reducing crime.
Market surveys undertaken by consultants for the Scottish Enterprise CENSIS project have indicated that the global market for gas detectors utilised for indoor air quality, safety, medical and industrial use was $1.9 bn in 2009, and is forecast to grow to $2.2 bn by 2015. The markets for mid infrared optical sensors are anticipated to reach $2.5 bn by 2015, growing in response to demand for remote devices that are network configurable and accessible. Further, the World Health Organisation estimates that more than two billion illnesses are caused by unsafe food every year, and in the developing world alone, each year 2 million children die from contaminated food and water. In the US, this claims an annual death toll of more than 3000 people, costing up to £35 bn in medical costs and lost productivity. Diarrheal illnesses are one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
Optical measurement techniques in the mid-infrared spectral range are highly specific to individual molecules, however the challenge today is that sources and detectors with the required specification are much too expensive for the realisation of practical sensing systems. This project could have a major impact both economically but also socially by producing far cheaper mid-infrared detector technologies on a cheap and easy to manufacture silicon platform that could address the above markets and applications. In doing so there is enormous potential to improve the quality of life across the world through better healthcare provision, better environmental monitoring and security detection of chemical and biological weapons.
The OECD Health Data show that an average of 8.9 % of GDP in developed countries is spent on healthcare costs. The NHS in the UK is already in severe financial problems due to an aging population and increases in healthcare costs as new treatments are implemented for previously incurable illnesses. This proposal is one of many aiming to produce point of care detectors and sensors which can be integrated into portable devices such a mobile phone which would enable personalized medicine with the potential for significant reductions in healthcare costs and improvement in quality of life. Early diagnosis and treatment is key for many diseases for good outcomes and also to reduce the time spent in hospitals. Breath analysis of ammonia is one technique for early state detection of certain tumours in oncology.
Such personalized healthcare detector solutions are urgently needed taking into account the UK and Europe's aging population, the even more demanding constraints on resources and patient empowerment. 2012 estimates on cost savings from m-Health for chronic diseases in OECD countries are valued at 227 - 273 billion Euros worldwide. M-Health was around a 2 billion Euro market in 2012 according to CSMG, and it is expected to grow over the next five years at a 25 percent CAGR.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has an annual procurement budget for technology of circa £18 Bn. DSTL has indicated an MOD requirement for the quantum technologies to be developed in this proposal which includes sub-shot noise portable chemical and biological weapons detectors and gravity imagers. I am engaged with Toshiba to investigate quantum communications systems which could potentially provide completely secure communications for internet commerce thereby reducing crime.
Market surveys undertaken by consultants for the Scottish Enterprise CENSIS project have indicated that the global market for gas detectors utilised for indoor air quality, safety, medical and industrial use was $1.9 bn in 2009, and is forecast to grow to $2.2 bn by 2015. The markets for mid infrared optical sensors are anticipated to reach $2.5 bn by 2015, growing in response to demand for remote devices that are network configurable and accessible. Further, the World Health Organisation estimates that more than two billion illnesses are caused by unsafe food every year, and in the developing world alone, each year 2 million children die from contaminated food and water. In the US, this claims an annual death toll of more than 3000 people, costing up to £35 bn in medical costs and lost productivity. Diarrheal illnesses are one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
Optical measurement techniques in the mid-infrared spectral range are highly specific to individual molecules, however the challenge today is that sources and detectors with the required specification are much too expensive for the realisation of practical sensing systems. This project could have a major impact both economically but also socially by producing far cheaper mid-infrared detector technologies on a cheap and easy to manufacture silicon platform that could address the above markets and applications. In doing so there is enormous potential to improve the quality of life across the world through better healthcare provision, better environmental monitoring and security detection of chemical and biological weapons.
The OECD Health Data show that an average of 8.9 % of GDP in developed countries is spent on healthcare costs. The NHS in the UK is already in severe financial problems due to an aging population and increases in healthcare costs as new treatments are implemented for previously incurable illnesses. This proposal is one of many aiming to produce point of care detectors and sensors which can be integrated into portable devices such a mobile phone which would enable personalized medicine with the potential for significant reductions in healthcare costs and improvement in quality of life. Early diagnosis and treatment is key for many diseases for good outcomes and also to reduce the time spent in hospitals. Breath analysis of ammonia is one technique for early state detection of certain tumours in oncology.
Such personalized healthcare detector solutions are urgently needed taking into account the UK and Europe's aging population, the even more demanding constraints on resources and patient empowerment. 2012 estimates on cost savings from m-Health for chronic diseases in OECD countries are valued at 227 - 273 billion Euros worldwide. M-Health was around a 2 billion Euro market in 2012 according to CSMG, and it is expected to grow over the next five years at a 25 percent CAGR.
Organisations
- University of Glasgow (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) (Collaboration)
- Heriot-Watt University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- Toshiba (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Gas Sensing Solutions (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Kelvin Nanotechnology (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University College London (Project Partner)
- National Physical Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Heriot-Watt University (Project Partner)
- University of Birmingham (Project Partner)
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Politecnico di Milano (Project Partner)
- University of Oxford (Project Partner)
- M Squared Lasers (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Compound Semiconductor Technologies (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (Project Partner)
Publications
Bashir A
(2018)
Interfacial sharpness and intermixing in a Ge-SiGe multiple quantum well structure
in Journal of Applied Physics
Bashir A
(2019)
Strain analysis of a Ge micro disk using precession electron diffraction
in Journal of Applied Physics
Carrillo-Nunez H
(2018)
Impact of Randomly Distributed Dopants on $\Omega$ -Gate Junctionless Silicon Nanowire Transistors
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Di Gaetano E
(2020)
Sub-megahertz linewidth 780.24 nm distributed feedback laser for 87Rb applications.
in Optics letters
Douglas J Paul
(2016)
Challenges in engineering platform technologies for quantum technology
Douglas J Paul
(2016)
The Performance and Electrical Transport of Silicon Nanowires Transistors
Dumas D
(2019)
High-efficiency Ge-on-Si SPADs for short-wave infrared
Felix J Schlupp
(2016)
One dimensional transport in top-down fabricated silicon nanowires
Fischer M
(2018)
Plasmonic mid-infrared third harmonic generation in germanium nanoantennas
in Light: Science & Applications
Fischer MP
(2016)
Optical Activation of Germanium Plasmonic Antennas in the Mid-Infrared.
in Physical review letters
Gallacher K
(2015)
Mid-infrared intersubband absorption in p-Ge/SiGe quantum wells grown on Si
Gallacher K
(2022)
Si 3 N 4 Waveguide Polarization Components for Atomic Systems
Gallacher K
(2018)
Components for Integrated Ge on Si for Mid-Infrared Photonic Sensors
Gallacher K
(2016)
Mid-Infrared Intersubband Absorption from p-Ge Quantum Wells Grown on Si Substrates
in ECS Transactions
Gallacher K
(2018)
Low loss Ge-on-Si waveguides operating in the 8-14 µm atmospheric transmission window.
in Optics express
Gallacher K
(2022)
Silicon nitride waveguide polarization rotator and polarization beam splitter for chip-scale atomic systems
in APL Photonics
Gallacher K
(2016)
Mid-infrared intersubband absorption from p-Ge quantum wells grown on Si substrates
in Applied Physics Letters
Gallacher K
(2020)
Design and simulation of losses in Ge/SiGe terahertz quantum cascade laser waveguides.
in Optics express
Gallacher K
(2019)
Mid-infrared Sensing with Ge on Si Waveguides
Gallacher K
(2020)
Characterization of integrated waveguides by atomic-force-microscopy-assisted mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy.
in Optics express
Gallacher K
(2020)
Ultra-broadband mid-infrared Ge-on-Si waveguide polarization rotator
in APL Photonics
Gallacher K
(2021)
Ge on Si Photonics Platform for Mid-Infrared Sensors
Gallacher K
(2016)
Ge-on-Si Photonics for Mid-infrared Sensing Applications
in MRS Advances
Georgiev V
(2017)
Experimental and Simulation Study of Silicon Nanowire Transistors Using Heavily Doped Channels
in IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology
Griskeviciute U
(2020)
Ge-on-Si waveguides for sensing in the molecular fingerprint regime.
in Optics express
Kirdoda J
(2019)
Geiger Mode Ge-on-Si Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Detectors
Kuzmenko K
(2020)
3D LIDAR imaging using Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode detectors.
in Optics express
Llin LF
(2020)
High sensitivity Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode detectors.
in Optics letters
Middlemiss RP
(2016)
Measurement of the Earth tides with a MEMS gravimeter.
in Nature
Millar R
(2016)
Engineering Large In-Plane Tensile Strains in Ge Microdisks, Microrings and Racetrack Optical Cavities
in ECS Transactions
Millar RW
(2017)
Mid-infrared light emission > 3 µm wavelength from tensile strained GeSn microdisks.
in Optics express
Millar RW
(2015)
Extending the emission wavelength of Ge nanopillars to 2.25 µm using silicon nitride stressors.
in Optics express
Millar RW
(2016)
Analysis of Ge micro-cavities with in-plane tensile strains above 2.
in Optics express
Mirza MM
(2017)
One dimensional transport in silicon nanowire junction-less field effect transistors.
in Scientific reports
Paul D
(2017)
n-Ge on Si for mid-infrared plasmonic sensors
Paul D
(2016)
8-band k·p modelling of mid-infrared intersubband absorption in Ge quantum wells
in Journal of Applied Physics
Pezzoli F
(2016)
Disentangling nonradiative recombination processes in Ge micro-crystals on Si substrates
in Applied Physics Letters
Schupp F
(2018)
Quantum interference in silicon one-dimensional junctionless nanowire field-effect transistors
in Physical Review B
Vines P
(2019)
High performance planar germanium-on-silicon single-photon avalanche diode detectors.
in Nature communications
| Description | I have demonstrated 38% single photon detection efficiency at 1310 nm with a Ge on Si single photon avalanche detector at 125 K. This has been used to demonstrate lidar and range funding with applications for automotive navigation and autonomous vehicles. I have shown that GeSn layers when strained can provide light emission out beyond 4 microns wavelength. This is inside the important window for molecular gas spectroscopy and potentially has applications for methane and CO2 gas detection and identification. The technique opens up the possibility of new sensors with applications for gas detection, environmental monitoring, security monitoring and healthcare. We have also demonstrated 8 nm diameter Si nanowires with transistor performance better than Intel. |
| Exploitation Route | A patent has been awarded and a £5.72M InnovateUK programme SPIDAR has been funded to aid translating the technology to UK industry. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Electronics,Environment,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Security and Diplomacy |
| URL | http://userweb.eng.gla.ac.uk/douglas.paul/page/ |
| Description | A number of the measurement techniques have been used to aid with UK national security and defence. The PI has also been involved as an independent reviewer for the UK Government for counter terrorism capability review and for reviewing the DSTL programme on "Imaging through Obscurants", "Non-lethal weapons" and "Position, Navigation and Timing". A key output with Ge on Si single photon avalanche detectors was patented and the results have resulted in a £5.72M InnovateUK programme being funding and the award of a £5.2M EPSRC programme grant. These awards are with a wide range of UK industry support including BT, Leonardo, DSTL, Kelvin Nanotechnology, Toshiba Cambridge, Bay Photonics and others. |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | DSTL Independent Reviewer |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | I am one of 3 independent advisory committee for the DSTL research programme "Seeing Through Obscurants". This is looking at methods to improve security and defence imaging solutions for specific defence and national security requirements. |
| Description | DSTL Quantum Radar Meeting |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | This DSTL workshop worked out the benefits and risks of quantum radar and what research work the UK may undertake in this space. |
| Description | Dstl Contested ElectroMagnetic Environment Programme Advisor |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | improved national security |
| Description | European Quantum Technology Agenda |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | http://qurope.eu/manifesto |
| Description | Prof Douglas Paul represented MOD at the Future Position Navigation and Timing Technology Cooperation Programme meeting in the USA |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | national security programme on future position, navigation and timing with UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia |
| URL | https://www.acq.osd.mil/ttcp/ |
| Description | Scientific advice to Minister for Defence Procurement |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | Improvements in national security |
| Description | Working with BEIS, MOD, InnovateUK, NCSC and Dstl for quantum technology definitions on the National Security Investment Bill |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | The bill is aimed to prevent foreign states purchasing companies and IP from high technology companies and one of the 17 areas is quantum technology. |
| URL | https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8784/ |
| Description | Agile Quantum Safe Communications (AQuaSec) |
| Amount | £5,802,830 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 104615 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2018 |
| End | 03/2021 |
| Description | Bid for new Electron-Beam Lithography Tool |
| Amount | £2,000,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/P030459/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2017 |
| End | 06/2019 |
| Description | DIFFRACT |
| Amount | £1,106,361 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/R001529/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2017 |
| End | 02/2019 |
| Description | InnovateUK Quantum Technology Call |
| Amount | £272,670 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/R001774/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2017 |
| End | 04/2018 |
| Description | QuantIC - The UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Imaging |
| Amount | £21,586,672 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T00097X/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2019 |
| End | 11/2024 |
| Description | Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies |
| Amount | £2,780,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | CiET2021_123 |
| Organisation | Royal Academy of Engineering |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 09/2030 |
| Description | SPIDAR |
| Amount | £5,724,188 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 44835 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 09/2023 |
| Description | Single Photons - Expanding the Spectrum (SPEXS) |
| Amount | £5,265,568 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/S026428/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2020 |
| End | 01/2025 |
| Description | The EPSRC Quantum Communications Hub |
| Amount | £23,961,861 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T001011/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2019 |
| End | 11/2024 |
| Description | micro-crystals Single Photon InfraREd detectors - microSPIRE |
| Amount | € 3,106,381 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 766955 |
| Organisation | European Union |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 11/2017 |
| End | 10/2020 |
| Title | Experimental and simulation study of 1D silicon nanowire transistors using heavily doped channels |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Ge-on-Si waveguides for sensing in the molecular fingerprint regime |
| Description | Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and waveguide spectroscopy data associated with figures 1, 3, 4, & 5 of the manuscript. Data is also included for the simulated optical overlap of a waveguide mode with an analyte of varying thickness, for a range of waveguide widths and polarisations. This data relates to figure 6 in the manuscript. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | http://researchdata.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/970 |
| Title | One dimensional transport in silicon nanowire junction-less field effect transistors |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Sub-MHz linewidth 780.24 nm distributed feedback laser for 87Rb applications |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | http://researchdata.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/1021 |
| Description | DSTL1 |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Training of PhD student |
| Collaborator Contribution | PhD student shared with University of Oxford to work on Fast, precise electric field sensing using quantum single-electron devices |
| Impact | Preprints for publications |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | DSTL1 |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Training of PhD student |
| Collaborator Contribution | PhD student shared with University of Oxford to work on Fast, precise electric field sensing using quantum single-electron devices |
| Impact | Preprints for publications |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | DSTL2 |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Training of PhD student to work on A Practical Single-Chip MEMS Microsystem Gravity Sensor |
| Collaborator Contribution | FEC Funding of PhD student and background knowledge for gravity defence problems. |
| Impact | Limited area Ge heterostructure growth for integrated photodetectors for interferometers |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | DSTL3 |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Training of PhD student on Germanium on Silicon Single Photon Avalanche Detectors |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding of PhD and use of single photon detection equipment |
| Impact | Single photon detectors using commercial Ge on Si material |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | DSTL3 |
| Organisation | Heriot-Watt University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Training of PhD student on Germanium on Silicon Single Photon Avalanche Detectors |
| Collaborator Contribution | Funding of PhD and use of single photon detection equipment |
| Impact | Single photon detectors using commercial Ge on Si material |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Use of III-V laser diodes |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Department | School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Use of DFB laser technology |
| Collaborator Contribution | Development of DFB laser technology |
| Impact | Use of DFB technology to aid technology translation of demonstrators |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Title | MEASUREMENT OF ACCELERATION |
| Description | An acceleration measuring device is disclosed, for use as a gravimeter or gradiometer for example. The device has a support and a proof mass, connected to each other by at flexures allowing displacement of the proof mass relative to the support. The support defines a space for displacement of the proof mass. The device is configured so that the modulus of the gradient of the force-displacement curve of the proof mass decreases with increasing displacement, for at least part of the force-displacement curve. This is the so-called anti-spring effect. The resonant frequency of oscillation of the proof mass is determined at least in part by the orientation of the device relative to the direction of the force due to gravity. The proof mass is capable of oscillating with a resonant frequency of 10 Hz or less. The proof mass has a mass of less than 1 gram. |
| IP Reference | WO2016030435 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2016 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | This work was reported by over 15 news outlets including BBC radio 4 and the BBC news webpages. There is a Nature publication associated with the results. |
| Title | Single photon avalanche detector, method of use therefore and method for its manufacture |
| Description | The application describes methods of design and fabrication of planar Ge on Si single photon avalanche detectors that produce single photon detection efficiencies up to 38 % at 1310 nm and with after pulsing rates that are at least a factor of 5 below the best commercial InGaAs SPADs under nominally identical operation. |
| IP Reference | GB1814688.6 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2018 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | A £8.8M InnovateUK ISCF grant was awarded part of which is to aid the translation of this technology to UK supply chain. The industrial partners include Toshiba Cambridge, BT, Bay Photonics, Dashboard, Keys Quantum Security, NPL, Senetas and Tethered Drone Systems. A further £5.2M EPSRC programme grant has been awarded to take this technology from single pixels to array cameras and to undertake imaging and lidar research. |
| Description | Antonine Probus Club talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a talk to about 80 retired professionals on "Nanotechnology: From Transistors to Quantum Technology" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Beaconhirst School |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A school visit and tour of the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre including a talk on quantum technology, DFB lasers, stem cell hip joint replacements, anti-fouling windows and other nanotechnology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | DSTL PhD workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A one day workshop run by DSTL where all their funded quantum technology students presented their work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Glasgow Rotary Club talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk on nano electronics and nanotechnology to Glasgow Rotary Club. This included some quantum technology, DFB lasers for the internet and stem cell self-repairing hip joint replacements. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | MOD Tutorial on Quantum Technology for Situational Awareness |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I gave a tutorial to the whole of MOD (internationally) on "Quantum Technology for Situational Awareness". This included the UK embassy in Washington and many other MOD outposts globally. Since then I have been asked by BEIS to aid work on new export control for quantum technology and was involved in the BEIS quantum technology working group for the National Security and Investment Bill. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Meeting with BAE Systems Andy Wright |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This meeting with BAE Systems including discussions on different aspects of quantum technology including quantum imaging, DFB lasers for quantum technology, navigation and a range of other security and defence applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Meeting with Bridgeporth (Gary Barnes) and Tullow Oil (Gareth O'Brien) to discuss MEMS gravimeters |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Both Bridgeporth and Tullow Oil came to provide gravimeter requirements for petrochemical gravity surveys and under an NDA to understand the MEMS gravimeter capability at Glasgow. Plans were discussed about sponsoring a PhD student and this was funded with a student starting in October 2015. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Meeting with Chris Doran from ARM |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with ARM to discuss opportunities for quantum technology collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with GSK - George Tuckwell |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A meeting with George Tuckwell from GSK to understand their requirements for gravity imaging and detection with regard to quantum technology. Updates were given for the MEMS and other QT gravity work at Glasgow. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with Gary Barnes of Bridgeporth |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This was a meeting to discuss MEMS gravitational imaging with regard to petrochemical prospecting. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with Gooch and Housego - Mark Farries |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions on quantum technology with Gooch and Housego. These discussions included photonic packaging of DFB lasers and other quantum technology components. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with Kaiam - Henk Bulthuis |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussion with Kaiam about Si photonics with heterogeneously integrated DFB lasers for telecoms and similar approaches for quantum technology around 780 nm. An NDA and joint development agreement was signed after this meeting to develop silicon nitride waveguide platform technology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with Keysight |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Visit and meeting with Keysight to discuss quantum technology. Keysight presented their future roadmap for quantum technology and Douglas Paul presented the Quantic QT Hub and the UK National QT Hub on Sensors and Metrology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with M Squared Lasers, Kelvin Nanotechnology, Optocap and telephone call with University of Birmingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A meeting to develop an InnovateUK proposal to develop integrated locking interferometers for DFB lasers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with National Physical Laboratory CEO Pete Thompson |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a meeting with the CEO of the National Physical Laboratory, Pete Thompson to discuss collaborations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with Optocap - Stephen Duffy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions on a range of packaging solutions for MEMS and DFB laser quantum technology work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with Optocap to discuss subcontract work |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This was a visit from Stephen Duffy of Optocap to discuss potential collaborations and subcontract work. There was also a discussion of partnership QT proposals and Innovate UK proposals. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with QinetiQ - Jeremy Ward and Gillian Marshall |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions with QinetiQ on potential quantum technology collaborations on MEMS gravimeters, imaging and photonic techniques. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Meeting with US DoD representative on secondment to the MOD |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This was a meeting with the US DoD representative to MOD who was interested to see the quantum technology work at Glasgow. This meeting was arranged by the Government Office of Science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Outreach talk on nanotechnology and quantum technology at Glasgow Rotary Club |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was an outreach talk to the Glasgow Rotary Club which in predominantly business people. The topic was nanotechnology, photonics, quantum technology and the impact on the general public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Portculis House Quantum Technology Roundtable |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I attended a workshop at Portculis House organised by GO Science to discuss the potential for quantum technology uses by Government and translational routes through UK companies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Quantum Technology Research at the University of Glasgow |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I presented at the InnovateUK and Technology Scotland event on the Compound Semiconductor Catapult on the 4th May 2016 at SVS200 in Glasgow. The talk was to over 50 Uk companies involved with compound semiconductors in the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | US Department of Energy and Whitehouse Science Policy Unit visit to Glasgow and tour of the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | High level visit from the US Department of Energy including the Chief Information Officer, Chief Scientist, Head of Advanced Scientific Computing, Chief Information Officer, and UK MOD Liaison Officer. Also a policy advisor from the US White House Policy Unit also attended. Talks were given on the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology and the Quantic QT Hub. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Visit from Hitachi Cambridge Research Laboratory - Fernando Gonzalez-Zalba |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions with Hitachi about potential collaborations on nanowires for current standards and qubits for quantum simulators, quantum computing and quantum information processing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Visit to Gooch and Housego - Mark Farries |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I visited Gooch and Housego to determine their photonics packaging capability for DFB lasers for the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Metrology and for packaged lasers for my EPSRC Quantum Technology Fellowship. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit to IBM Rushlikon, Switzerland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I gave a talk on the Si nanowires for quantum technology at IBM Rushlikon in Switzerland. There were significant discussions about potential EC project collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit to Kaiam |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Visit to Kaiam production facility in Livingston, Scotland. Discussions on joint collaborative work was started. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Visit to UTC Silicon Sensors in Plymouth |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions with UTC Silicon Sensing about MEMS gravimeters and potential opportunities for collaborations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |