UP-conversion of Single-photons for ENvironnmental SEnsing [UP-SENSE]

减少人类对全球变暖的影响，实现净零排放，是社会需要解决的一个重大问题。技术发展将是减少温室气体排放过程的重要组成部分。减少气体排放最简单的方法是减少气体泄漏，这需要非常灵敏的泄漏检测设备。由于二氧化碳排放量的减少，天然气（主要由甲烷组成）正在成为主要的化石燃料。然而，工业泄漏是温室气体（ghg）的主要来源。在COP26之后，工业界和立法机构的注意力开始转向减少甲烷排放。传统的敏感设备体积庞大，操作起来很费力。需要广泛使用连续监测设备来检测甲烷和其他温室气体。QLM率先部署了量子技术，以红外激光雷达相机的形式对温室气体进行成像、定位和量化。然而，这只是第一步，检测灵敏度的提高可以用来扩展操作范围或检测速度。该项目由QLM、Fraunhofer、Covesion和Bristol大学合作，提供了一种解决这一问题的创新方法，通过在较长波长产生散射，然后使用光子的量子上转换到较短波长，在低噪声、单光子灵敏度的高效可见波长探测器上进行检测。这需要Covesion公司开发上转换技术，使其工作波长比目前展示的更长，但这在理论上是可行的。最初的工作将在已知可行的波长上证明这一概念，并将提高探测效率。这项技术将为在解决方案有限的波长区域内以高灵敏度检测更多不同气体提供可能性。

Reducing human contributions to global warming and the journey to net-zero is a major problem for society to tackle. Technology developments will be a large part of the process to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The simplest way to reduce is emissions is to reduce gas leaks, requiring very sensitive leak detection equipment.Natural gas (largely consisting of methane) is becoming the dominant fossil fuel due to the reduced carbon dioxide emissions. However, industrial leaks are a major source of Greenhouse gases (GHGs). After COP26, industry and legislation attention is shifting towards reducing methane emissions. Traditional sensitive equipment can be bulky and labour intensive to operate. There is a need for wide-spread continuous monitoring equipment for detection of methane and other GHGs.QLM has pioneered deployment of quantum technology, in the form of an infrared LiDAR camera to image, locate and quantify GHGs. However, this is just the first step along the way and improvements in sensitivity of detection can be used to extend the range of operation, or speed of detection.This project collaboration between QLM, Fraunhofer, Covesion and the University of Bristol provides an innovative approach to solve this problem, by generating scattering at longer wavelengths, then using quantum up-conversion of photons to shorter wavelength for detection on low-noise, efficient visible wavelength detectors with single-photon sensitivity. This requires development of upconversion technology by Covesion, to work at longer wavelengths than currently demonstrated, but that are theoretically viable. Initial work will prove the concept at wavelengths that are known to be feasible and will offer increased detection efficiency.This technology will open up the possibility of detecting more varied gas species with high sensitivity in a wavelength region where there are limited solutions.