QuantIC wins £28m funding boost in 'Next Leap Forward'

QuantIC brings together the Universities of Southampton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Exeter, Heriot-Watt, Imperial College, Strathclyde and Glasgow with industrial partners from across the UK.

The funding for the second phase of QuantIC’s operations is part of £94m announced recently by Science Minister Chris Skidmore in support of the National Quantum Technologies Programme.

Since it was established in 2014 as one of four quantum hubs supported by £270m in funding from the UK Government, QuantIC has pioneered new ways to make ‘the invisible visible’ using quantum technologies.

Across the consortium, the hub's major research successes to date include the development of QuantiCAM, a digital camera which captures photons 10,000 times faster than conventional cameras, and cameras capable of novel imaging feats including looking around corners and seeing clearly through smoke. A portable gravity imager capable of measuring; earth tides; subtle changes in the earth around us has also attracted significant industrial interest for use in space, civil engineering and environmental monitoring.

The University of Southampton plays an important role in the fabrication of devices and materials, lasers and routes to miniaturise, with research centred around the cleanrooms and Optics labs.

QuantIC has also incubated three spinout companies so far:

- QLM, which has developed a drone mounted quantum sensing solution capable of remotely detecting and quantifying minute methane leaks - Raycal, which provides consulting services in the area of quantum technologies, with a special focus on imaging and metrology - Sequestim, which aims to commercialise the next generation of terahertz imaging technology for security screening applications

Over the next five years, QuantIC will continue to develop revolutionary imaging systems that shift the way imaging occurs, such as the ability to see directly inside the human body, the ability to see through fog and smoke, to make microscopes with higher resolution and lower noise than classical physics allows, and quantum radars that cannot be jammed or confused by other radars around them.

These developments will be enabled by new technologies, such as single-photon cameras, detectors based on new materials and single-photon sensitivity in the mid-infrared spectral regions. Combined with new computational methods, QuantIC will enable UK industry to lead the global imaging revolution.

Science Minister Chris Skidmore said: "Harnessing the full potential of emerging technologies is vital as we strive to meet our Industrial Strategy ambition to be the most innovative economy in the world. Our world-leading universities are pioneering ways to apply quantum technologies that could have serious commercial benefits for UK businesses. That's why I am delighted to be announcing further investment in Quantum Technology Hubs that will bring academics and innovators together and make this once futuristic technology applicable to our everyday lives."

University of Southampton's, Professor Peter Smith (Optical Engineering and Quantum Photonics Group, Optoelectronics Research Centre), "The University of Southampton has been involved with the QT hubs for some time and this funding will give us an excellent boost to our research. We’re heavily involved with funding from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, and with DSTL activity within Quantum Tech - and contributing to projects ranging from Satellite Applications through to Quantum computing."