A compact laser for quantum lab work that wants to leave the lab

In June 2025 the AQLAS consortium unveiled the AQLAS laser module 840nm, a compact laser unit designed for atomic quantum computing and atomic, molecular and optical physics experiments. The device is the first deliverable from the EIC Transition funded AQLAS project. Project partners and promoters describe the module as smaller, cheaper and easier to deploy than current laboratory grade frequency stabilised lasers, and suitable for integration into rack systems and complex architectures.

What the announcement says

AQLAS positions the new module as addressing a clear market gap. Frequency stabilised lasers are central to many quantum platforms because they provide the narrow, stable light needed to cool, manipulate and read out atoms and ions. Most high performance systems today are large and optimised for laboratory use, which complicates scaling and raises costs. AQLAS says its module will be 4 to 10 times smaller and 2 to 5 times cheaper than existing systems while delivering the precision and robustness required for quantum hardware development.

Consortium, funding and timeline

Who is behind AQLAS

The project brings together four organisations from three countries. INRiM is an Italian national metrology institute that leads the scientific and standards work. SILENTSYS contributes expertise in ultralow noise systems and compact photonics. Idil Fibres Optiques supplies fibre optic components and integration know how. A8 is a Malta based SME contributing business development and project management. The team roster also lists researchers and engineers with backgrounds in metrology, quantum technologies, photonics and low noise electronics.

Technical claims and practical features

AQLAS states the module reaches linewidths on the order of tens of kilohertz without requiring an external stabilization unit. The device is described as rack compatible and modular. Users can control laser emission and tune the parameters of the internal PID controller used for frequency stabilization from outside the module. The design emphasises a plug and play approach to lower the barrier for researchers and developers who want to integrate stable lasers into larger quantum setups.

Context in the quantum hardware market

The need for cheaper, smaller frequency stabilised lasers is widely acknowledged. Laboratories rely on large, expensive systems for tasks that include laser cooling, state manipulation and detection in trapped atom and ion platforms. For the quantum industry to move beyond isolated lab demonstrators, components such as lasers must become easier to integrate, more reliable, and manufacturable at scale. AQLAS is targeting this transition from bespoke lab hardware to engineering ready modules.

What remains to be proven

Public project text and launch statements make several quantifiable claims about size, cost and performance. Those claims now require independent verification and peer reviewed or third party benchmarking. Important practical issues include long term reliability, environmental robustness under temperature and vibration, reproducibility in small batch manufacturing, and compatibility with the control stacks used by quantum hardware developers.

Opportunities beyond quantum computing

Lasers with low phase noise and strong frequency stability have applications beyond quantum computing. They are useful in precision metrology, optical sensing, long range coherent LIDAR, and some telecommunications testbeds. The involvement of a national metrology institute like INRiM strengthens the chance of the technology being developed with traceable measurements and standards in mind.

Next steps and how to follow progress

In the short term AQLAS will continue prototype validation and present the module at industry events. The consortium has shown presence at Laser World of Photonics in Munich where partners exhibited at booths B2.243 and A2.433. For the technology to move towards customers the consortium will need to publish test data, open the device to independent characterisation, and develop manufacturing and support plans.

Interested parties can track the project through the Horizon Europe database and the AQLAS company site. The project communication includes a standard disclaimer that views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the European Commission or the funding body.

Bottom line

The AQLAS 840nm module targets a genuine problem in the path to scalable quantum hardware. The technical choices described are consistent with industry efforts to move frequency stabilised lasers out of the optics bench and into compact modules. That said the headline size and cost reductions, and performance claims such as tens of kilohertz linewidth without external stabilization, should be treated as preliminary until validated by independent testing and longer term reliability studies. If those claims hold up, the module could lower barriers for many AMO research groups and for quantum hardware integrators, but commercial success will depend on manufacturability and system level integration as much as on single device performance.