New Zealand continues to break new ground in the field of photonics and quantum technology, but is still failing to keep pace with global peers.
Latest University of Auckland research may help the world to miniaturise the laser tools used for ultra-precise measurements, such as atomic clocks.
Department of Physics head and researcher at the Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, Professor Miro Erkintalo, began exploring a potential new way to generate ultra-small microchip-sized frequency combs used for measuring the frequency – or colours – of light.
Sometimes called `light rulers’ or ‘rainbow rulers’, these miniaturised frequency combs unlock a host of leading edge applications.
Future uses include sensors capable of detecting extremely small changes in their environments.
However, a recent industry raised concerns about the underfunding of photonic and quantum industries in Australia and New Zealand, which were growing, but at a lower rate than the global average.
“New Zealand has some excellent start-ups, a new stakeholder community and significant research potential, but it’s clear, after decades of investment in Australia, ‘the Ditch’ is becoming a digital divide,” the report by the Australian and New Zealand Optical Society says.
Erkintalo said New Zealand’s blue sky science projects were the first step towards the commercialisation of leading edge applications, such as the frequency comb.
“I was able to do that research and that’s really what led us to where we are now,” he said.
“This work is the culmination of several years of work, involving a fantastic international collaboration that brings together the world-leading knowledge and innovation of New Zealand researchers with equally world-leading folks in the US.”
However, such blue sky science funding was at risk.
While the New Zealand government is committed to funding AI and quantum technologies, the funding is expected to be being directed to the commercialisation of products.
However, Erkintalo said the invention of the new type of frequency comb would not have been possible without the underlying knowledge, developed over a decade.
He said Dodd-Walls was internationally recognised for its advanced scientific knowledge.
“We are absolutely world-leading in the physical understanding and the knowledge of how this system works,” he said.
“I think having this very deep knowledge makes our group quite attractive for international collaborators that do have the access to resources that are more sophisticated.”
The frequency comb was the result of a collaboration between the Auckland researchers and Grégory Moille and Kartik Srinivasan from the University of Maryland and the US National Institute of Science and Technology.
Erkintalo, Moille and Srinivasan’s work was reported in the prestigious journal Nature. The group had also submitted a provisional patent application based on aspects of the work.