Biophotonics describes a combination of biology or medicine and photonics, with photonics being the science and technology of generation, manipulation, and detection of light. Global Industry Analysts (San Jose, CA) forecast biophotonics markets to exceed $99 billion by the year 2018. Specifically, biophotonics methods are projected to outperform traditional diagnostic techniques, in part driven by the worldwide need for new innovations to address challenges in for example, healthcare, neuroscience, cancer biology and disease management. Additionally, there is an increasing space in optical analysis (e.g. spectrometers, analysers) which are required for a suite of applications more broadly in laser applications both in fields such as food, drink authentication and emergent areas using quantum technology. The international growth in photonics investment needs to be mirrored by a similar expansion of corresponding UK strengths at the University-Industry interface, which is at the heart of this EPSRC Prosperity Partnership. This grant brings together a partnership between EPSRC, The University of St Andrews and M Squared Lasers to address major research challenges that ultimately have business value and will add to quality of life, The innovative advances will include: 1) a new suite of imaging apparatus where we illuminate with a broad sheet of light rather than point by point scanning. This leads to faster image acquisition and lower sample exposure, thus leading to less "light" damage". Such imaging can lead to new insights for studies in neuroscience, diseases of the mind (dementia) and developmental biology. In turn this will shed light on numerous biological processes including the development of disease. Furthermore, the technology will be made high throughput so we can analyse multiple samples very quickly. They is relevant of the the pharmaceutical industry and drug discovery areas 2) We will look at light scattering (Raman) analysis which gives an optical readout of the chemical compassion of a sample. This will be developed in compact forms as well as with paper as medium to hold the sample. Studies will include use for anti-cancer drug monitoring, studies of infection and blood based disorders including sepsis. 3) we will use the ideas based around multiple laser interference - speckle - which is rich in information on the illuminating sources. This will herald step change for new forms of laser analysis of wavelength and even recording multiple wavelengths (spectra) from samples 4) we will look at new types of ultra compact microscopes that will be able to image below the diffraction limits, that is 100nm or smaller. these can be used in future in pathology to look at tissue biopsy (e.g. nephrotic disease) and ultimately displace other more expensive, time consuming approaches such as electron microscopy

The primary focus of the programme proposed here is to build across two universities (Strathclyde and Edinburgh) a world leading UK research, development and applications capability in the field of in-situ chemical and particulate measurement and imaging diagnostics for energy process engineering. Independently, the two university groups already have globally eminent capabilities in laser-based chemical and particulate measurement and imaging technologies. They have recently been working in partnership on a highly complex engineering project (EPSRC FLITES) to realise a chemical species measurement and diagnostic imaging system (7m diameter) that can be used on the exhaust plume of the largest gas turbine (aero) engines for engine health monitoring and fuels evaluation. Success depended on the skills acquired by the team and their highly collaborative partnership working. A key objective is to keep this team together and to enhance their capability, thus underpinning the research and development of industrial products, technology and applications. The proposed grant would also accelerate the exploitation of a strategic opportunity in the field that arises from the above work and from recent recruitment of academic staff to augment their activities. The proposed programme will result in a suite of new (probably hybrid) validated, diagnostic techniques for high-temperature energy processes (e.g. fuel cells, gas turbine engines, ammonia-burning engines, flame systems, etc.).

For over a century, scientists have been fascinated, and at times mystified, by quantum mechanics, the theory that governs atoms, molecules and, indeed, all matter at a microscopic level. Central to this theory are two concepts: (1) Wave-particle duality - the idea that particles, such as electrons in an atom, can behave like waves and that light waves can behave like particles, and (2) entanglement - the concept that once two (or more) particles have interacted, they cannot be treated as independent entities no matter how far apart they are. These inherently quantum phenomena are at the heart of a wide range of physical effects, but their role is often extremely difficult to elucidate. For example, in solid materials, where every atom interacts with many other atoms, it is very challenging to predict and understand how the quantum behaviour will manifest itself, and yet it leads to effects, such as high-temperature superconductivity and special forms of magnetism. Our Programme will advance the understanding of these complex quantum systems by studying the behaviour of molecules cooled to very low temperatures where we can isolate their quantum behaviour. In this respect, the use of molecules is crucial. Their rich internal structure means they couple strongly to electric and microwave fields, and interact with each other over a much greater distance compared with atoms. In advancing our understanding of the quantum science of molecules, we will also learn how to harness their properties to build new devices, including sensors of exceptional sensitivity, computers capable of solving previously unsolvable problems, and simulators that can design new materials, magnets and superconductors. To study the quantum science of molecules in a controlled and systematic way, we need to develop the ability to manipulate the quantum properties of individual molecules. The first step towards this goal is to remove the thermal motion that normally hides their quantum behaviour. We have already developed methods to achieve this both using molecules in the solid state and in the gas-phase. In the solid state, we have demonstrated that certain organic dye molecules, when embedded in a suitable solid cooled to cryogenic temperatures, behave as near-ideal two-level quantum systems. Such molecules have the perfect properties to act as interfaces between quantum light and quantum matter - an essential building block of many future quantum devices. We will learn how to exploit these properties to generate single photons on demand, control individual photons, and store quantum information. In the gas phase, we have extended the methods of laser cooling and developed new techniques to cool molecules to within a millionth of a degree above absolute zero. In this quantum regime, it is possible to exert complete control over the internal state and motion of the molecules. With this control we can learn how to couple molecules to microwave and optical waveguides, to trap molecules on chips, to assemble ordered arrays of molecules that replicate the crystalline structure of real materials, and to explore how the interactions between molecules govern the behaviour of the many-particle system. These ambitious goals calls for radical advances, which we will deliver through a set of interconnected experiments intimately linked to state-of-the-art theory. With isolated molecules we will develop the control of single molecules and their coupling to single photons; with small arrays of interacting molecules we will control interactions and entanglement in simple geometries; and with two- and three-dimensional lattices we will understand the complex behaviour of strongly interacting many-particle systems. Through these projects, our Programme will lay the foundations for a broad range of future scientific advances and technological applications based on the quantum control of molecules.