New ULTRAPURE Initiative Launches to Revolutionise Ultra-Stable Photonic Technologies for Quantum Systems, 6G and beyond
GERMANY, May 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- February 2026 marked the start of the new European research initiative, ULTRAPURE, which has been launched under the EIC Pathfinder programme to pioneer a radically new generation of ultra-stable, chip-scale photonic technologies. Bringing together six leading European partners from Germany, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland and the UK, the ULTRAPURE consortium will address a critical technological gap. The realisation of many next generation applications such as advanced communications, sensing and quantum systems is hampered by an absence of compact and energy-efficient laser sources with complex waveforms capable of generating ultra-pure oscillations with high stability and spectral purity.
ULTRAPURE will develop a novel integrated platform based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in thin-film lithium tantalate (TFLT), an emerging material enabling unprecedented performance in photonic integrated circuits. By combining electro-optic and acousto-optic effects on a single chip, the project aims to drastically reduce frequency and intensity noise while achieving ultra-narrow linewidth oscillations with complex waveforms across radiofrequency, microwave, terahertz (THz), and optical domains. This approach is expected to deliver compact, low-power, and highly coherent sources, overcoming major limitations of current photonic and electronic systems.
The technology will be demonstrated in two high-impact proof-of-concept applications:
1. Compact high-performance atomic clocks
ULTRAPURE will develop compact coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clocks with unprecedented stability and reduced size. These clocks aim to significantly improve precision timing for applications such as satellite navigation, telecommunications, and quantum sensing.
2. Ultrapure THz sources for 6G and beyond communications
The project will develop integrated THz sources with extremely low phase noise and high stability, enabling ultra-high-speed wireless communications with data rates beyond 250 Gbit/s, paving the way for future 6G and beyond networks.
The innovations developed in ULTRAPURE are expected to underpin future smart infrastructures by enabling 6G and beyond wireless networks, energy-efficient communication technologies, GNSS-independent synchronisation for critical systems, and highly precise sensing and positioning. These capabilities will support the development of smart cities, improve resilience of critical infrastructure, and reduce reliance on vulnerable satellite-based timing systems.
For further details and to follow the work progress, please visit the ULTRAPURE website at www.ultrapure-project.eu and follow us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ultrapure-project-eu.
A strong European consortium:
The project brings together leading academic and industrial partners with expertise across photonics, materials science, laser physics, communications, and quantum metrology. This interdisciplinary collaboration enables the integration of fundamental research with application-driven innovation to accelerate the path toward real-world deployment.
ULTRAPURE has received €3 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder programme under grant agreement No 101257287.
Germany: TU Braunschweig (THz Photonics Group)
The Netherlands: University of Twente (Nonlinear Nanophotonics Group)
Switzerland: Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM)
France: Thales Research and Technology (TRT); University of Rennes (Institut Foton)
United Kingdom: Modus Research and Innovation
ULTRAPURE will develop a novel integrated platform based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in thin-film lithium tantalate (TFLT), an emerging material enabling unprecedented performance in photonic integrated circuits. By combining electro-optic and acousto-optic effects on a single chip, the project aims to drastically reduce frequency and intensity noise while achieving ultra-narrow linewidth oscillations with complex waveforms across radiofrequency, microwave, terahertz (THz), and optical domains. This approach is expected to deliver compact, low-power, and highly coherent sources, overcoming major limitations of current photonic and electronic systems.
The technology will be demonstrated in two high-impact proof-of-concept applications:
1. Compact high-performance atomic clocks
ULTRAPURE will develop compact coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clocks with unprecedented stability and reduced size. These clocks aim to significantly improve precision timing for applications such as satellite navigation, telecommunications, and quantum sensing.
2. Ultrapure THz sources for 6G and beyond communications
The project will develop integrated THz sources with extremely low phase noise and high stability, enabling ultra-high-speed wireless communications with data rates beyond 250 Gbit/s, paving the way for future 6G and beyond networks.
The innovations developed in ULTRAPURE are expected to underpin future smart infrastructures by enabling 6G and beyond wireless networks, energy-efficient communication technologies, GNSS-independent synchronisation for critical systems, and highly precise sensing and positioning. These capabilities will support the development of smart cities, improve resilience of critical infrastructure, and reduce reliance on vulnerable satellite-based timing systems.
For further details and to follow the work progress, please visit the ULTRAPURE website at www.ultrapure-project.eu and follow us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ultrapure-project-eu.
A strong European consortium:
The project brings together leading academic and industrial partners with expertise across photonics, materials science, laser physics, communications, and quantum metrology. This interdisciplinary collaboration enables the integration of fundamental research with application-driven innovation to accelerate the path toward real-world deployment.
ULTRAPURE has received €3 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder programme under grant agreement No 101257287.
Germany: TU Braunschweig (THz Photonics Group)
The Netherlands: University of Twente (Nonlinear Nanophotonics Group)
Switzerland: Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM)
France: Thales Research and Technology (TRT); University of Rennes (Institut Foton)
United Kingdom: Modus Research and Innovation
Marieke Dickie
Modus Research and Innovation Ltd
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