UVQuanT is a European consortium that combines industrial and scientific expertise to develop new, cost-effective lasers and optics for the ultraviolet, closing the technology gap between the visible and the deep ultraviolet (DUV).

Lasers are the heart of today’s quantum science and technology. Since their first invention they have been a flourishing research area and in a few decades have found application in an enormous variety of fields, eventually populating many aspects of our everyday life, also outside of the research laboratory. Since the beginning, there has been a natural push towards extending the accessible frequency range of coherent radiation, eventually covering the whole infrared (IR), visible (VIS), and ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. The large energy and momenta of UV photons offers enormous potential for novel applications both in industry and academic sectors. 

These applications include: the generation of precise optical clocks; atom interferometers for gravity sensing; laser cooling of diatomic molecules for quantum simulation, computation and metrology; the characterisation and inspection of semiconductor materials for high speed circuitry, solar cells, computing and communications hardware; detecting nitrites and microplastics in wastewater; and detection of components in human breath indicative of cancer or inflammation.

UVQuanT aims to bring cost effective high power lasers and robust optics for the DUV to the masses, tackling the deep technological challenges through the development of scientific and industrial expertise, positioning the EU as the front-runner in this technology.  UVQuanT will focus on new ways of producing coherent radiation in the UV and DUV, and test these novel systems in a range of experiments targeting quantum technology applications. Combining the talent and expertise of industrial and academic partners, UVQuanT will build strong relationships for establishing a path for next-generation quantum technologies. 

UVQuanT is part of the European Comission's Quantum Flagship initiative.