Learn more about the different partners and their roles in the project :
The CNRS, France’s largest public research organization, is managing the UNISON project through its Ile-de-France Gif-sur-Yvette Regional Office, with contributions from the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies (C2N). C2N hosts one of France’s largest university nanofabrication facilities and involves two research groups: the Silicon Photonics group, known for advances in mid-IR integrated photonics, and the Quantum Cascade Laser group, specializing in QCL device processing. Under the leadership of Prof. Delphine Marris-Morini, CNRS will coordinate legal, financial, and scientific contributions, focusing on SiGe photonic circuits, frequency comb generation, and device fabrication.
Politecnico di Milano (Polimi), one of Italy’s largest universities and ranked among the top 20 engineering schools globally, contributes to UNISON through its Laboratory for Nanostructures Epitaxy and Spintronics on Silicon (LNESS). The Polimi team specializes in silicon-germanium heterostructures for optoelectronics and photonics, achieving breakthroughs like high-quality Ge-on-Si epilayers and SiGe platforms for mid-IR photonics in collaboration with Prof. Marris-Morini. Polimi’s role involves epitaxial deposition of Ge and SiGe heterostructures, structural characterization, and development of SiGe epilayers for QCL laser integration, comb generation, and waveguide-based frequency combs.
At the University of Montpellier (UM), work for UNISON will be conducted at the Institut d’Électronique et des Systèmes (IES), a joint CNRS-UM research unit and a leader in antimonide-based materials and infrared optoelectronic devices. The team has achieved milestones like the first mid-infrared laser diodes and QCLs on silicon substrates with performance matching native substrate devices. UM’s role includes epitaxial growth of InAs-based QCLs on SiGe/Si platforms from Polimi, optimizing material quality, designing QCL/waveguide assemblies, and characterizing epilayers and test lasers.
ETH Zürich, a world-renowned university for technology and natural sciences, is celebrated for its top-tier education, groundbreaking research, and practical applications. With a history of excellence, including 21 Nobel laureates, its Institute for Quantum Electronics is a leader in quantum cascade laser (QCL) development, achieving milestones like room-temperature CW operation of mid-IR QCLs and comb operation demonstration. In UNISON, ETH will supply QCLs for butt coupling integration, improve comb operation modes, contribute to theoretical optimization of non-linear devices, and participate in device characterization.
Technische Universität Wien (TUW), Austria’s largest technological university, emphasizes research-based teaching and houses expertise in optoelectronic materials at its Institute of Solid State Electronics. The research team led by B. Schwarz specializes in laser design, nonlinear dynamics, and frequency combs, with achievements like mode-locked ICL demonstration under the MonoComb ERC grant. In UNISON, TUW will focus on generating femtosecond pulses from ICLs, integrating them onto the Si/SiGe platform, characterizing devices, and optimizing Si/SiGe optical elements for nonlinear broadening and frequency comb generation.
UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the northernmost university in the world, specializes in research on the polar environment and climate, driving innovation in sensor technology. Its Optics group excels in nanophotonics and sensor development, including PICs for gas sensing and mid-IR trace gas sensors, supported by multiple ERC grants. In UNISON, UiT will design, process, and test Si/SiGe sensing chips, collaborate with CNRS on integration, and work with IR-Sweep on packaging and sensing experiments.
Sensirion, a global leader in sensor technology, specializes in developing innovative solutions for high-performance sensing applications. As the parent company of IRsweep AG, Sensirion leverages its expertise to guide advancements in mid-infrared dual-comb spectroscopy based on quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). IRsweep, founded by experts in QCL technology, introduced the first commercial dual-comb spectrometer in 2017 and has since pioneered its application in various fields. Within the UNISON project, Sensirion will oversee demonstrator development, define the properties of project components, test building blocks in dual-comb configurations, and conduct cutting-edge spectroscopic measurements with the final integrated device.