Press release

UKAEA develops optical viewport technology for quantum physics

UKAEA has improved optical viewport technology - reducing optical distortion by up to 75 percent - for applications such as fusion energy and quantum physics.

A UKAEA ion-trap viewport design, an example of the improved optical viewport capability resulting from the findings of Project Solace.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has recently delivered on a UK 바카라 사이트 grant to improve optical viewport technology 바카라 사이트“ reducing optical distortion by up to 75 percent 바카라 사이트“ for applications such as fusion energy and quantum physics research.

As a vital part of its research into fusion energy, UKAEA바카라 사이트™s Special Techniques Group (STG), has built expertise in producing high-performance optical viewports used on fusion machines.

UKAEA바카라 사이트™s Special Techniques Group, supported by the UK 바카라 사이트 Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) 바카라 사이트“ Knowledge Asset Grant Fund 바카라 사이트“ recently completed Project Solace, to further enhance viewport performance for other sectors such as quantum physics.

Project Solace focused on gathering expert feedback from optical viewport users about what parameters are important to them and developing new modelling tools to optimise new viewport designs to meet these requirements.

The feedback from quantum physics customers was that optical flatness of viewports was most important to reduce distortion of measurements coming from trapped atoms. Customers also appreciated UKAEA바카라 사이트™s Special Techniques Group바카라 사이트™s custom engineering which enables customisation of viewport shapes to fit microscopes, magnets and other instrumentation.

Following the development of the new modelling tools, the Group engaged Frazer Nash Consultancy to evaluate multiple viewport design options and identified opportunities to reduce optical distortion by up to 75 percent compared to baseline design.

Commenting on the funding, Alison Campbell, CEO of the UK 바카라 사이트 Office for Technology Transfer, said: 바카라 사이트œI바카라 사이트™m delighted that the Knowledge Asset Grant Fund has been able to support UKAEA to expand the application of its unique technology, delivering value to its customers. The fund, and our work in GOTT, is focussed on helping organisations across government, such as UKAEA, realise the value and impact from exploiting their expertise and Knowledge Assets. We look forward to continuing to support the project as it develops.바카라 사이트

Tim Bestwick, Deputy CEO for the UKAEA, said: 바카라 사이트œThe unique technical challenges posed by fusion research has driven UKAEA바카라 사이트™s Special Techniques Group to develop optical viewports that operate under extreme conditions with minimal optical distortion, and we have been able to prove these in fusion experiments.

바카라 사이트œThe team now plans to design and produce ultra-low distortion optical viewport designs for the next generation of quantum computers and sensors.바카라 사이트

These designs will be available for different sectors and global markets, including aerospace, beam-line science and high-power laser applications, to provide solutions to manufacturing challenges.

More information on the UKAEA Special Techniques Group

The challenges of manufacture for fusion energy include unusual materials, and extremes of pressure and temperature. Similar challenges are shared in many academic and industrial applications.

Using the expertise gained in the field of fusion research, the frequently collaborates with other sectors such as aerospace, beam-line science and high-power laser science to provide solutions to their manufacturing challenges.

It has developed an excellent reputation for producing high-performance optical viewports for vacuum applications such as fusion energy and quantum physics research. UKAEA Special Techniques Group바카라 사이트™s diffusion bonding process allows the precision assembly and high integrity joining of optical materials like fused silica, quartz, sapphire, and diamond to a variety of metals such as stainless steel and titanium.

Optical viewports developed by the Group have such optical clarity that lasers can be applied through the viewports, into an ultra-high pressure vacuum environment, to manipulate atoms at a quantum level.

UKAEA collaborated with Atkins to develop new modelling tools to optimise viewport designs and with Frazer Nash Consultancy to use Bayesian optimisation techniques to evaluate viewport designs.

As a result of Project Solace, the UKAEA Special Techniques Group have launched a standardised range of new optical viewports that cater to popular geometries. A selection of .

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Published 9 April 2024