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。由于这个原因，世界范围内正在进行重大努力，以开发新型紧凑的激光源，使其具有与现有的用于原子冷却的实验室束缚激光器相同的高性能。作为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是垂直外腔表面发射激光技术（VECSELs）。利用VECSEL技术，我们能够设计出从紫外到中红外的几乎任何波长的激光器，具有高亮度，同时实现量子应用所需的非常低的频率和强度噪声。这种激光器的原型机已经由国家传感和定时量子技术中心的斯特拉斯克莱德小组成功交付，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有限公司的新合作伙伴关系，他们将转移他们在可见VECSELs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。在这个萌发器项目的支持下，III-V Epi有限公司将首次制造VECSEL增益结构，Strathclyde团队将为迭代优化的积极制造和测试活动提供快速反馈。这将使III-V Epi有限公司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.