Strathclyde among Quantum Technology for Fundamental Physics winners

Seventeen new projects including one involving Strathclyde will tackle fundamental research questions with cutting edge quantum technology.

The research ranges from the exploration of antimatter gravity to dark matter detection, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) investing a total of £6 million towards the endeavour, which supports its existing Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics (QTFP) programme.

The programme receives joint funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The grants encourage high-risk discovery and aim to demonstrate how quantum tech can solve long-standing questions in fundamental physics and include researchers from 18 different institutions across the UK.

Dark matter

Professor Stuart Reid from Strathclyde is part of the ‘Increasing the science reach for Quantum Enhanced Interferometry’ project along with researchers at Cardiff University, University of Birmingham, University of Warwick and the University of Glasgow.

The consortium of researchers are establishing ground-breaking technologies to search for elusive dark matter in our Universe, and to study the quantum (bittiness) aspects of space-time.

Professor Reid said: “We are delighted to be involved in this research, which is being enabled through underpinning manufacturing technologies hosted within the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland. It demonstrates the need for multidisciplinary approaches to help answer some of the big outstanding questions in Physics.”

Professor Grahame Blair, STFC Executive Director, Programmes, said: “This new cohort of projects should make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the universe using cutting-edge quantum tech such as quantum computing, imaging, sensing and simulations.

“The new grants continue to support the UK research community in exploring the diversity of quantum technology applications for fundamental science – from neutrino mass studies to searches for violations of fundamental symmetries of nature.”