Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FINE (Fiber Nano-Engineering)
Período documentado: 2021-07-01 hasta 2022-12-31
Optical-fiber-based micro-resonators (micro-cavities) offer a variety of applications in research and technology. They enable the construction of absorption microscopes with detection sensitivities that surpass any current commercial solutions, allowing for all-optical sensing applications down to the single-molecule level. Their functionality as ultra-narrow spectral filters permits precise signal filtering in optical communication networks that form the technological backbone of today’s information age. In research, they are routinely employed to boost the interaction strength between light and matter, opening the door to explore novel states of matter and their applications. These experiments pave the way towards future quantum-information-processing applications that are expected to result in faster computing capabilities and quantum-secure communication. Currently, such applications are constrained by the limited availability of the components to construct micro-resonators. Our project will make the key component of this pivotal technology commercially available as a stand-alone product and boost productivity and innovation in the academic and industrial R&D sectors.
Within the project FINE, the tasks were distributed to three main work packages. The first focused on the optimization of the production process. With a novel manufacturing method, it was possible to increase the quality of the final cavity-fibers. The established process also allows for a fast adaption to arbitrary mirror profiles. The second work package aimed towards a faster, more reliable and less error-afflicted preparation and handling process. Different approaches for fiber preparation were tested and evaluated. By introducing a well-documented process structure, it was possible to reach a significant speedup of the preparation and handling process. The third work package was targeting the commercialization activities of cavity fibers as standalone product. A cooperative market study showed general trends and was accompanied by initial contacts with potential customers. A software solution for communication was developed and IP from the overall project was analyzed.
The FINE project enabled to transfer a novel technology from a qualified status to an actual product. So far, research groups working with fiber-based microcavities were either producing the cavity-fibers themselves or were connected with other research groups, which were able produce and willing to supply them as part of a collaboration. The FINE project enabled to conduct all relevant steps to reach an initial state of commercialization for cavity-fibers as standalone product. Cavity fibers are the key technological element for numerous applications ranging from the life science sector over materials research to quantum technologies. The construction of micro-resonators and the flexible design based on optical fibers enables the precise manipulation and utilization of light. The resonators itself acts as the central element to tune the light-matter interaction for sensing applications or quantum network components. In this context, we envision societal and economic benefits by fostering fundamental research and enabling novel applications in quantum and nanotechnology, material science, chemistry, biophysics and pharmaceutical research.