UK Supply cHAin for stRontium clocK Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (UK-SHARK-VECSELs)

激光是所有基于超冷原子的量子技术所需的光引擎。它们通常也是量子系统的尺寸、重量、功耗和成本的主要贡献者。出于这个原因，世界范围内正在进行重大努力，以开发能够与原子冷却所需的现有实验室束缚激光器具有相同高性能的新型紧凑型激光源。下一代量子定时应用所需的基于锶原子的光学时钟的主要候选者是垂直外腔表面发射激光器技术（VECSEL）。借助VECSEL技术，我们能够设计出在从紫外到中红外的几乎任何波长下工作的高亮度激光器，同时实现量子应用所需的极低频率和强度噪声。这种激光器的预原型已由国家量子技术传感和定时中心的Strathclyde集团成功交付，实现了世界纪录的VECSEL性能，并在米德兰兹超冷原子研究中心进行了锶原子冷却的初步演示。通过与III-V Epi Ltd建立新的合作伙伴关系，他们将转让他们在可见VECSEL方面的专业知识，并启动英国高度专业化半导体晶圆的行业供应。在这个萌芽项目的支持下，III-V Epi有限公司将首次制造VECSEL增益结构，而Strathclyde集团将为积极的制造和测试活动提供快速反馈，以进行迭代优化。这将使III-V Epi Ltd能够向其商业量子技术的目标客户展示这种独特的能力。

Lasers are the light engines required for all quantum technologies based on ultra-cold atoms. They are also very often the major contributor to the size, weight, power consumption, and cost of a quantum system. For this reason, significant effort is being undertaken worldwide to develop novel compact laser sources capable of the same high performance as the existing laboratory-bound lasers required for atom cooling. A leading candidate for strontium-atom-based optical clocks, as required for next-generation quantum timing applications, is vertical-external cavity surface-emitting laser technology (VECSELs). With VECSEL technology we are able to design the lasers to operate at almost any wavelength from the ultraviolet to the midinfrared with high brightness, while simultaneously achieving the very low frequency and intensity noise demanded for quantum applications. Pre-prototypes of such lasers have been successfully delivered by the Strathclyde group under the National Quantum Technology Hub for Sensing and Timing, achieving world-record VECSEL performance and initial demonstrations of strontium atom cooling at the Midlands Ultracold Atom Research Centre. With this new partnership with III-V Epi Ltd, they will transfer their expertise in visible VECSELs and initiate a UK industry supply of highly specialised semiconductor wafers. Supported by this Germinator Project, III-V Epi Ltd will fabricate VECSEL gain structures for the first time and the Strathclyde group will provide fast feedback into an aggressive fabrication and testing campaign for iterative optimisation. This will enable III-V Epi Ltd to demonstrate this unique capability to their target customers in commercial quantum technology.