Research projects

In collaboration with leading European research teams, coordinated by C2N, we’re developing a compact, high-resolution mid-IR spectrometer for precise detection of trace greenhouse and toxic gases. This scalable platform uses advanced silicon-germanium photonics and innovative lasers, enabling new possibilities in environmental monitoring and IoT applications. UNISON supports the EU’s “Zero Pollution” vision for a cleaner, safer future.

Our team recently achieved a significant breakthrough (in projects sCENT and UiTrace) by demonstrating the first chip-scale sensor capable of ppb-level detection and selectivity equivalent to that of high-end instruments.

The sCENTsor developed in this project merges the strengths of high-end commercial spectroscopic systems, offering sensitivity, selectivity, isotope detection capability, and long-term stability, while also being compact, lightweight, and requiring only microlitre sample volumes.

This project aims to explore the disruptive innovation potential of the sCENTsor concept, advancing it from a proof-of-concept to the next level of technological readiness. This entails

1. The development of a prototype module
2. Real-life application demonstration

This concise Proof of Concept (PoC) project is designed with three key objectives to address the major technological and commercialization challenges before progressing to the next phase of commercial product development:

1. Development of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
2. Performance Benchmarking
3. Use Case Identification and Technology Roadmap

The ProMis platform is an innovative photonic biosensing tool designed to detect early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. By leveraging waveguide-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, ProMis offers precise, time-resolved monitoring of protein misfolding with nanomolar sensitivity, allowing for the early identification of key molecular changes associated with Alzheimer’s.

A significant challenge with free-standing waveguides is releasing the coupling edges without damaging the delicate structure. This project addresses the issue by applying precise lithography techniques to define and release these edges, ensuring they remain straight and undamaged.