Britain has marked a major milestone in advanced scientific research after the first successful experiment was completed using the new HiLUX laser system at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Central Laser Facility on the Harwell Campus.
The achievement represents the first practical use of a cutting-edge £17 million upgrade that is helping to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global laser science, materials research and emerging technologies.
HiLUX is a major transformation of the Central Laser Facility’s ultrafast laser spectroscopy infrastructure. The project replaces the decade-old ULTRA and Artemis laser systems with a new generation of highly efficient ytterbium-based lasers, delivering significant improvements in performance while reducing energy consumption.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research in Dresden carried out the inaugural experiment alongside STFC scientist Dr Ryan Phelps.
Their work focused on chiral two-dimensional perovskites – highly specialised materials made from ultra-thin crystal sheets combined with organic molecules that exist in left and right-handed forms. Scientists believe these materials could one day play an important role in secure communications, advanced medical imaging and quantum technologies.
Understanding how these materials behave requires observing molecular movements that take place in trillionths of a second, making them some of the most challenging systems to study.
The new HiLUX infrastructure proved equal to the task.
Dr Nathaniel Gallop, who recently joined Queen Mary University from the Leibniz Institute, said the system dramatically accelerated the research process.
He explained that measurements originally expected to take an entire day were completed in just a few hours, allowing researchers to gather data far more efficiently than before.
The success highlights the enormous leap forward delivered by the new equipment.
The HiLUX upgrade provides a near tenfold improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, significantly improving data quality while also increasing reliability and reducing downtime. Researchers will benefit from higher repetition rates, greater laser power and access to a broader range of light sources spanning infrared through to extreme ultraviolet wavelengths.
The enhanced capabilities will allow scientists to investigate a wider range of physical and chemical processes with unprecedented precision. Researchers can now observe both the vibrational and electronic properties of molecules across timescales ranging from femtoseconds to seconds within a single experiment, while previously hidden signals can be detected with much greater clarity.
The improvements are also transforming how Britain’s national research facilities operate.
Dr Ryan Phelps said that before the upgrade, much of his time was spent carrying out laser realignments and troubleshooting technical issues. The new system has dramatically improved reliability, enabling scientists to spend more time working directly with visiting researchers, analysing results and helping to design experiments.
The project forms part of a wider programme to modernise Britain’s world-leading laser research infrastructure.
HiLUX achieved its first light on the ULTRA infrared laser system, with the Artemis extreme-ultraviolet system expected to follow later this year. It is the first of several next-generation ultrafast laser systems being installed at the Central Laser Facility.
The new equipment was manufactured by Light Conversion and delivered through Photonics Solutions to specifications developed by STFC. Mechanical engineering support was provided by specialists from STFC’s Technology Department.
Backed by funding from UK Research and Innovation through its Infrastructure Fund, the investment demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to maintaining world-class scientific facilities that attract leading researchers from around the globe.
As scientists seek breakthroughs in fields ranging from quantum technology to advanced healthcare, the successful launch of HiLUX provides another reminder of Britain’s strength in scientific innovation and its determination to remain at the cutting edge of discovery.
Source: UKRI
