Annual Report 2014-2015
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2 3 Annual Report 2014-2015 QUANTIC The UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Enhanced Imaging IMAGING QuantIC Innovation Space James Watt South Building University of Glasgow Glasgow, G12 8QQ [email protected] quantic.ac.uk Follow us: @QuantIC_QTHub THE FUTURE Welcome to QuantIC’s first annual report. The past year has flown by at the speed of light for us. Since the announcement of the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme, our Hub has hit the ground running, from setting up a core central team to establishing a new approach to working with industry and the way academic research is translated into innovative technologies for the market. Collaboration is at the centre of everything we are doing and has been a key component in our achievements. QuantIC’s technological innovation focuses on quantum enhanced imaging. While pioneering new innovative technologies is great, it is only through industrial collaboration that we discover how they can make an impact in the market. This year, we have engaged with over 60 companies, and this has resulted in 9 new joint projects where our researchers and industrial engineers will come together to explore the potential of our new innovative technology. The QuantIC Innovation Space is now complete and the new laboratory and hot-desking o!ce facility will allow companies to co-locate with our researchers to refine demonstrator systems and advance their technology readiness level to full prototypes. Collaboration has also been essential in reaching a variety of stakeholders. QuantIC led and worked together with the other Quantum Technology Hubs on the inaugural UK National Quantum Technology Showcase held in November at the Royal Society. The event was well attended by key industry players and government o!cials, and has set the template for future events. Taking a longer term strategic view of building the next generation of quantum engineers, we also joined forces with the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC) to increase the take up of quantum physics in secondary schools by running workshops for physics teachers to help build their confidence in the subject matter and we are excited to be working with the Glasgow Science Centre on developing a permanent exhibit DIRECTOR’S FOREWORD FOREWORD DIRECTOR’S on quantum technologies. There are more examples within the pages of our annual report to highlight our achievements so far, and I hope that this report will spark a possible opportunity to work with us and realise the next generation of quantum technology. Professor Steve Beaumont QuantIC's Director TABLE OF TABLE It seems a long time ago when one of my (now) co-investigators came to my CONTENTS FOREWORD FOREWORD o!ce and suggested that I had what it would take to lead one of the UK’s quantum Hubs. Being blind to flattery I decided they were right and so the National QT Programme 2 journey began. It took six months to put our bid together, throughout which I could not have been better supported by a more committed team ranging from human resources to finance and most importantly our college business development manager Sara - now our Hub manager. QuantIC: Imaging the Future 4 Come interview, EPSRC knew we were serious when I turned up wearing not only a suit but a tie too — indeed, apparently I spent a whole hour answering questions, during which I am told I did not fidget once. The interview went well, so well in fact that Steve and I missed our plane home! And so after a QuantIC: One Year On 12 slight delay for a vote, the Hub came to be and QuantIC was born. This last year has been a learning experience for me, working alongside Steve and together with a fantastic central team, as our Hub PI alongside Innovation 14 my own research. I thought I knew the physics, I thought I knew the technology but what I did not know is what a talented and truly committed team of investigators I was going to find myself working with. Truly it has been a privilege to get to know not only the work we do but all of the people Research 32 that make QuantIC the success we are becoming. It struck me as I stood up on behalf of us all to present our Hub in the Royal Society at the first annual QT Showcase that never have I been more proud Technology Development 38 to be part of something as I am now. I hope that, upon reading this, the first of our annual reports, you can all feel some of that pride too — thank you all for the journey so far. Stakeholder Engagement 84 Responsible Research and Innovation 100 Professor Miles Padgett PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR’S INVESTIGATOR’S PRINCIPAL QuantIC's Principal Investigator Project Governance 110 2 3 Quantum Technology: a billion pound future industry for the UK The vision of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme is the creation of a cohesive quantum technology community where government, academia and industry collaborate to secure a leadership position for the UK in the emerging quantum technology market. The partners of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme are: • The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research NATIONAL QT NATIONAL PROGRAMME Council • Innovate UK • The Department for Business Innovation and Skills • The National Physical Laboratory • Government Communications Headquarters • The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory • The Knowledge Transfer Network The National Network of Quantum Technology Hubs is the core investment of the UK National Quantum QuantIC is one of four Quantum Technology Programme. Through a competitive Technology Hubs established as part of the call for proposals, four Hubs were awarded a total £270m government investment in the UK of £120m to undertake technology research and National Quantum Technology Programme to fund associated capital equipment. Each of the to accelerate the translation of quantum Hubs focuses around a particular suite of emerging science into economic and societal impact quantum technologies: for the benefit of the UK. • QuantIC – UK QT Hub in Quantum Enhanced The UK National Quantum Technology Imaging Programme’s aim is to exploit the next • NQIT - UK QT Hub in Networked Quantum generation of Quantum Technologies and Information support the creation of a billion pound • The UK QT Hub in Quantum Sensors and industry for the UK. Metrology • The UK QT Hub in Quantum Secure Communication For more information on the UK National Quantum Technology Programme please see: http://uknqt.epsrc.ac.uk/ 4 5 FUTURE QuantIC is the UK centre of excellence for Manager, a Business Development work packages (WPs). The first pixel array, particularly in the research, development and innovation in quantum Manager, a Communication and three work packages cover infrared region of the spectrum enhanced imaging. Over the next five to ten Public Engagement O!cer and system development, focusing where traditional cameras are QUANTIC: QUANTIC: years, quantum enhanced imaging technologies an Administrative Assistant on quantum imaging with expensive or even impossible to will deliver economic and societal benefits in to ensure smooth operation of correlation (WP1), timing (WP2) obtain. Imaging in the infrared areas such as security, medical imaging, scientific the Hub and to appropriately and squeezing (WP3), whilst WP4 has innumerable applications instrumentation, oil and gas, energy and defence. resource our outreach and focuses on the development of for example it can allow Our vision, shaped in collaboration with over industrial engagement activities. components such as sources and firefighters to see through smoke 30 industry partners, is to pioneer a family of Brief biographies of QuantIC's detectors. and engineers to image gas management and the central leaks. Extension to quantum- IMAGING THE IMAGING multidimensional cameras operating across a range Imaging with correlation (WP1) of wavelengths, time-scales and length-scales, team are provided in the Project exploits the quantum-inspired correlated sources will allow creating a new industrial landscape for imaging Governance section of this correlation between image and trans-wavelength sensitivities systems and their applications in the UK. QuantIC’s document. source to realise single-pixel where samples illuminated approach to user engagement and innovation QuantIC’s technical programme is cameras. Single pixel cameras are in the infrared will be imaged includes a strategy aimed at exploring with industry delivered through four interlinked much cheaper than multimillion with visible detectors with QuantIC brings together world-leading the potential for quantum technologies to improve quantum technologists at the Universities products and processes in the imaging sector. of Glasgow, Bristol, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Oxford, Strathclyde and Industrial representation is at the core of our Warwick, with more than 30 global management structure. The Market Opportunities industrial partners in a new and exciting Panel, comprising 18 industrial partners, directs partnership. the strategic investment of the £4m Partnership Resource Fund (PRF). The PRF has been designed Core to the delivery of our vision is a £4m as a flexible and responsive tool to support the Partnership Resource Fund, designed to translation of QuantIC’s research outcomes accelerate technology uptake by industry into industrial applications and commercial by supporting industry-led projects and opportunities. In addition to feasibility studies two-way sta! secondments. and technology development projects, QuantIC's PRF also supports the secondment of staf to This fund has been augmented by a aid knowledge exchange between academia and Scottish Funding Council investment industry. A snapshot of our user engagement of £3m to create and operate our activities to date and a selection of case studies of Innovation Space, where companies can funded PRF projects are reported in the Innovation ! work alongside our sta to develop new section of this annual report. technology prototypes. The Hub is led by Professor Steve Beaumont, QuantIC’s Director, and Professor Miles Padgett, QuantIC’s Principal Investigator and Scientific Lead.