Oxford, UK and Ely, UK – October 1, 2024 – Quantum technology (QT) is transforming industries from healthcare to communications, but its advancement depends on the reliability of core components. Today, significant progress has been achieved on that journey. Infleqtion and Thorlabs are pleased to announce a new agreement to commercialise Infleqtion’s highly integrated optical fibre collimation package.
The fibre collimation package delivers a linearly polarized collimated beam with high extinction ratio and integrated power monitoring. By simplifying the design and enhancing performance, this package offers a compact, robust solution tailored to the stringent demands of quantum technology applications. Reliable and more cost-effective solutions like these are aiding the commercial readiness of QT and are increasing the likelihood of its economic impact across a wide spectrum of industries.
The fibre collimation unit was developed by Infleqtion as part of the Innovate UK-funded project QT Assemble, a £7.3m large consortium effort led by the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (CAP) in partnership with 13 organisations across the UK, including ColdQuanta UK Ltd. (now d.b.a. Infleqtion). QT Assemble aims to develop highly innovative QT assemblies in miniaturised packages, making the widescale adoption of quantum technologies easier.
At the core of Infleqtion’s engineering philosophy is the belief that the highest-quality components are essential to producing reliable quantum solutions. The licensing agreement with Thorlabs gives more researchers and product development teams access to advanced collimation capabilities, accelerating the development of quantum technologies.
Tim Ballance, President of Infleqtion UK said, “The real promise of quantum technologies is seen when research turns into tangible products that solve real-world problems. This partnership is the next step in driving breakthroughs that will bring quantum solutions to the global market faster.”
Keith Dhese, General Manager of Thorlabs Ltd. added, “Through QT Assemble, it’s exciting to see the UK playing such a central role in the global deployment of compact, robust technologies to the fast-growing quantum field. Thorlabs is excited to collaborate with quantum technology companies like Infleqtion to accelerate the commercialisation of the critical components that will drive the next generation of advancements in quantum technology. Thorlabs’ high degree of vertical integration in engineering and manufacturing positions it strongly for these types of partnerships.”
About Infleqtion: Infleqtion’s groundbreaking technologies are transforming precision and efficiency in vital sectors worldwide. With 17 years of experience in commercialising quantum technology using neutral atoms, Infleqtion specialises in atomic clocks, quantum software, quantum RF, and neutral-atom quantum computers. We deliver state-of-the-art solutions for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), precision timekeeping, and optimisation. Our unparalleled expertise positions us as the preferred partner for global customers seeking advanced quantum solutions for defense and enterprise applications. For more information, please visit us at www.infleqtion.com
About Thorlabs: Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer, was founded in 1989 to serve the laser and electro-optics research market. As that market has spawned a multitude of technical innovations, Thorlabs has extended its core competencies in an effort to play an ever-increasing role to serve the Photonics Industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. The organisation’s highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include semiconductor fabrication of Fabry-Perot, DFB, and VCSEL lasers; fibre towers for drawing both silica and fluoride glass optical fibres; MBE/MOCVD epitaxial wafer growth reactors; extensive glass and metal fabrication facilities; advanced thin film deposition capabilities; and optomechanical and optoelectronic shops.