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EurekAlert!—Reported recently in a new study published in Nature, a team of researchers, led by JILA and NIST Fellow and ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø Physics professor Jun Ye, in collaboration with Professor Eric Hudson’s team at UCLA’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, have found a way to make nuclear clocks a thousand times less radioactive and more cost-effective, thanks to a method creating thin films of thorium tetrafluoride.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø Today—The U.S. National Science Foundation has named ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø a collaborator on newly announced pilot projects supported by the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) initiative. This groundbreaking effort seeks to accelerate the development of quantum technologies and make cutting-edge quantum tools accessible to researchers nationwide. To do this, the NSF has funded 11 pilot projects (with six announced Dec. 16) to overcome the current engineering challenges facing the development of quantum devices.

The Register—Ayar Labs, a ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø spinout, contends silicon photonics will be key to scaling beyond the rack and taming the heat of increasing AI model demands. Many photonics startups are looking to overcome the limitations of copper interconnects and improve the efficiency of optical I/O, but Ayar is among the first.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that seven University of Colorado companies and three researchers are among the awardees of the Proof of Concept and Early-Stage Capital and Retention grants through OEDIT’s Advanced Industries Accelerator Program.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø Today—A new workforce roadmap released this week aims to train, prepare and inspire the next generation of quantum workers and the general public in Colorado and the Mountain West.

JILA—Flari Tech Inc., a startup rooted in cutting-edge JILA research, has clinched one of the prestigious 2024 Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) grants from the ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø, advancing its pioneering work to build a breathalyzer for diagnostics use targeting life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø Today—A small crowd, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, gathered on a wide stretch of lawn on the ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø campus to witness a one-of-kind technology demonstration—a laser device that could soon transform the oil and gas industry in the American West and keep potent greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere.

Fourteen teams of University of Colorado faculty, researchers and graduate student innovators competed for a combined $1.25 million in startup funding grants in this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC).

ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø Physics—This prestigious new professorship, resulting from a $1 million endowment underscores the university’s growing prominence in quantum information science and applied quantum physics. Jun Ye is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in precision measurement, ultracold molecules and ultra-high precision atomic clocks.

Daily Camera—Research funding at the ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø has more than doubled in the last decade, increasing by about $391 million. There were 35 ºÚÁÏÉçÇøÍø-affiliated startup companies this last fiscal year compared to 10 the year before.