The National Physical Laboratory’s Measurement for Quantum (M4Q) programme is designed to support the growth of quantum technology businesses, helping to bridge the critical gap between research prototypes and market-ready solutions. By providing 20 days access to NPL’s experts at no cost*, we empower business through tailored measurement and calibration support to refine their products, reduce costs and accelerate their route to commercialisation. 

Read on to find out about two success stories from our recent collaborations in the quantum space. 

Supporting INEX to reduce manufacturing costs and improve market readiness  

INEX, the UK’s leading full-service compound semi-conductor development and fabrication company, specialises in the production of vapour cells for ultra-accurate atomic clocks.  

Through our work with INEX, we ensured their product met specifications for gas composition, pressure, and temperature by providing detailed modelling and radio-frequency spectroscopy to calibrate and characterise cells. 

Our collaboration paid off, and with metrology data provided by NPL, INEX was able to develop a quality control device which reduced their manufacturing costs by 20%. We were also able to refine their vapour cell design, expanding marketing opportunities by improving their product’s functionality. 

Supporting QLM’s greenhouse gas monitoring solutions 

Another success story from the M4Q programme is our collaboration with QLM, a company that approached us with the challenge of developing a portable system for visualising greenhouse gas emissions. 

We were able to provide novel optical measurement techniques and calibration tools to give QLM a deeper understanding of their laser systems physics and functionality, resulting in the creation of a calibration rig. 

By improving manufacturing processes and reducing production costs, QLM was able to position itself as a scalable and affordable solution to emissions monitoring, strengthening its competitive advantage in the market. 

Without NPL’s expertise and access to the full range of cutting-edge measurement options, this important work may not have gone ahead, or succeeded.

Xiao Ai - Co-founder and CTO at QLM Technology 

Through our M4Q programme, NPL is committed to nurturing the quantum technology industry, helping companies like INEX and QLM to unlock new capabilities, reduce costs and bring innovative products to market. To explore how your business could benefit from quantum measurement and testing support,

Apply to our M4Q programme today

*Eligibility criteria apply. 

Advancing life sciences and health

Closing the gene writing gap 

NPL, in collaboration with London Biofoundry and BiologIC Technologies Ltd, released an analysis on existing and emerging DNA synthesis technologies in Nature Reviews Chemistry, featuring the work on the front cover. 

The study, which was initiated by DSTL, set out to understand the development trajectory of DNA synthesis as a major industry drive for the UK economy over the next ten years. The demand for synthetic DNA is growing exponentially. However, our ability to make or write DNA lags behind our ability to sequence or read it.

The study reviewed existing and emerging DNA synthesis technologies developed to close this gene writing gap.   

DNA provides a universal tool to engineer and manipulate living systems. Recent progress in DNA synthesis has brought up limitless possibilities in a variety of industry sectors. Engineering biology, therapy and diagnostics, data storage, defence and nanotechnology are all set for unprecedented breakthroughs if DNA can be provided at scale and low cost.

As an example, DNA has already been used to write books, episodes of Netflix series, video games and is being applied to catalogue the entire British Library. Just one gram of DNA is estimated to store over 17 Exabytes of information, whereas five exabytes is all that is needed to store all the words spoken by mankind.

The development of robust metrology and suitable standards are required to accelerate and safeguard the uptake of synthetic DNA by the end users. NPL supports this endeavour by developing a toolbox of traceable reference materials, methods and standards, which will underpin further developments in the field.

Find out more about our work in health

See what we do, read our customer stories

Supporting commissioning of new radiotherapy equipment safely and promptly

New low-cost flexible X-ray detectors

Characterising hydrogels for cancer treatment

NPL improves access to medical ultrasound quality assurance

Enabling a revolution in medical imaging

Breakthroughs in radiotherapy

NPL scientists have worked on a range of projects that are set to significantly improve the accuracy of a type of radiotherapy treatment called proton beam radiotherapy. The benefits of this therapy include more precise targeting of cancer tumours without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. It massively minimises the unpleasant side effects of radiotherapy, particularly in the case of paediatric patients, including cardiac failure, pulmonary fibrosis, and secondary cancers. 

Proton beam radiotherapy is seen as a superior option to established forms of radiotherapy because the radiation can be confined largely to the tumour, minimising the damage to surrounding healthy tissue. But in order to make the most of the treatment, the accuracy of the radiation dose from proton beam treatment must be similar to that achieved using existing radiotherapy treatments. 

To achieve this aim, the team at NPL made three important breakthroughs: 

• producing their own highly accurate tool for measurement and assuring radiation dosage amounts called the Primary Standard Proton Calorimeter (PSPC) 
• developing new tissue-equivalent plastic materials to precisely imitate human tissue such as bone and muscle at the test phase 
• performing pioneering measurements to demonstrate a new form of radiotherapy called FLASH 

We are excited to see these developments make an impact for patients and clinicians. 

Ana was awarded the Bronze Award in Physics at STEM for Britain 2023 

Ana Lourenço, Principal Scientist in Medical Radiation Science, presented her research work on the development of the world's first primary standard for proton radiotherapy beams. Prior to this work, globally, there was no dedicated calibration service for proton beams based directly on a primary standard resulting in higher than desired uncertainties on the dose delivered to cancer patients.  

“Our team at NPL are widely recognised as world leaders in areas of proton dosimetry. We have worked to develop a deeper understanding of fundamental aspects of dosimetry for this type of beam which has culminated in us developing dedicated primary standard specifically for proton radiotherapy. We are able to further refine the understanding of the response of ionisation chambers used in the clinic. Combined with that, my team have developed protocols for auditing clinics - a vital aspect in ensuring patient treatments are optimally delivered, and have developed our own materials specifically to mimic the response of tissue, bone etc in the proton beam. It is a privilege for me to lead such a dedicated and talented team of scientists whose work has a real impact in helping to improve outcomes and the quality of life of cancer patients.” - Science Area Leader, Russell Thomas 

NPL Innovations 

Innovation is at the very heart of NPL’s work. We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs. In recent years our leading science and engineering has enabled the launch of world-first innovations and spin-out companies at varying stages of the product lifecycle. 

Thermology Health Ltd 

Thermology Health is transforming diagnostic healthcare through thermal imaging.

Used predominately in the early detection of diabetic foot ulcers, where skin temperature is elevated at potential ulceration sites, Thermology Health’s proprietary technology thermally scans the surface of the feet with an uncertainty of ±0.2ºC (a world-first) allowing it to accurately capture, compare and analyse tens of thousands of biometric temperature data points instantly. This enables clinicians to identify and intervene on areas of concern earlier.  

Thermology health is a prime example of how NPL’s focus on the development of robust and reliable measurements can unlock the huge clinical diagnostic and prognostic potential in healthcare applications. This unique technology has resulted in patented intellectual property exclusive to Thermology Health. 

Sona 

Sona aims to revolutionise breast cancer screening with the world’s first  ultrasound-based breast density assessment technology, which doesn’t require imaging or radiologists. Unlike traditional X-ray methods, which involve radiation risks, Sona’s patented ultrasound sensor-platform provides a safer, more sensitive solution.  

The groundbreaking technology allows healthcare clinicians to offer timely, personalised screening through easy, low-cost access to breast density information, overcoming limitations of traditional mammograms.  

Early cancer detection is vital for saving lives, especially as 70% of breast cancers are found in women with dense breasts. Yet many women remain unaware of their breast density, with nearly half having high density which can often hide cancers on mammograms.  

Sona’s simple, affordable desktop device can be used in GP clinics to provide quick reliable readings, ensuring women receive the right screening at the right time.  

HIDRA Vision 

NPL’s HIDRA Vision is a ground-breaking, patent-protected, hyperspectral imaging technology with a primary market use in the inspection of semiconductor wafers. The HIDRA technology was built to address a need for rapid, high sampling density spectral measurements for semiconductor wafers. Competing technologies in the semiconductor space are designed for current-gen wafers with low sampling requirements, however these competitors struggle with next-gen platforms that require millions of measurements per wafer, such as micro-LEDs and photonic compound semiconductors.  

Previously supported by the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)’s Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) through two grants, HIDRA Vision has now advanced to the prototype stage. HIDRA Vision’s innovative technology could save the semiconductor industry hundreds of millions of pounds annually, by quickly detecting material defects that traditional methods miss, supporting quality control in next-generation semiconductors, and strengthening the UK’s position in the global compound semiconductor industry. 

K3 Metrology

K3 Metrology, NPL’s latest potential spinout, addresses the need for reliable data in Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing. Current measurement systems suffer from issues with accuracy, speed, and data integrity. Metralis, K3 Metrology’s first product, is a large volume metrology system that marries Frequency Scanning Interferometry (FSI) with multilateration, and is capable of seamlessly integrating measurement data, factory-wide.

Metralis is a self-calibrating system that can measure multiple features and robots from various sensors simultaneously, providing real-time data quality metrics with traceability to national standards. This will pave the way for faster, more accurate measurements and correct quality assurance results in the industrial metrology market, which is currently valued at around $9.3 billion. 

Supported by BAE Systems, K3 Metrology’s technology has already been commissioned by early adopter AMRC-Cymru, with additional interest from four global companies. While still early-stage, K3 Metrology holds three granted patent families in Europe, with more IPs expected, and the technology’s market potential has been validated by independent analysts, Venture Bright. Backed by grant funding, and BAE Systems, K3 Metrology is preparing for a funding round in H2 2025, aiming to enter the prototype phase imminently. BAE Systems - Austin Cook, Principal Technologist - Emerging Manufacturing Technology and Systems 

We have a number of use cases in mind for this technology and plan to include its use in manufacturing systems for next generation aircraft products.

BAE Systems - Austin Cook, Principal Technologist - Emerging Manufacturing Technology and Systems

​“You guys are the only ones making a step change to coordinate measurement technology. Everyone else in the last 15 years has been making small incremental changes to the same technology - whereas Metralis is a gamechanger” - Scott Sandwith, Spatial Analyser​ 

Did you know that you can avail of NPL expertise at no cost as part of our Measurement for Business (M4B) programme? See if your business is eligible for support and reach out to us to see how we can help.

Supporting emerging technologies with mass spectrometry imaging 

At the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), we’re working to understand the make-up of cancer tumours, locate and quantify nuclear materials, and investigate advanced materials. 

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) provides powerful eyes on the molecular and atomic world. It’s a tool that applies to all research fields, allowing us to amass huge amounts of detail about biological, materials and agricultural samples.  

NPL is developing world-leading mass spectrometry technologies and the standards for best practice that can be rolled out across the world. We are also developing and applying the latest machine learning techniques to visualise and interpret mass spectrometry data. 

Over the past decade, the National Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry Imaging (NiCE-MSI), based at NPL, has worked on numerous high-impact projects, from taking part in cancer research, to supporting the development of improved antibiotics to beat resistant bacteria. 

The centre began with just a handful of scientists that has now grown to a multidisciplinary team of 30, working with state-of-the-art imaging techniques, including secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation (MALDI). These capabilities are bringing confidence to users in pharmaceutical sciences, biological sciences and semiconductors.  

In the next decade, the team aim to drive the use of these techniques from solely a research environment to routine practice in industry and the NHS. The team are constantly improving the resolution and broadening the applications for MSI which could lead to reduced failures, cost savings and helping to meet regulatory requirements. 

How the NanoSIMS capability is supporting pharmaceutical innovation

More about NiCE-MSI

Working with UK industry

Every day, we work closely with leaders in UK industry to provide them with expert measurement services. Our customers trust us to deliver measurements that are accurate, traceable, and assured to a degree of certainty underpinned by our world-leading science.  

Below is just some of the feedback we have received from our customers on the measurement work we have conducted for them, making it possible for them to bring innovative products and services to market with confidence and assured data. 

NPL’s impact is monumental as the main provider of the UK’s measurement standards, which is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. NPL takes the time to worry about the quality and assurance of standards so that the public doesn’t have to.

Hexagon Metrology Ltd  

 Our work with NPL delivered significant impact during a critical stage of company growth.

Inductosense 

As a result of participation in a research programme with NPL we were able to more accurately assess the risks in our manufacturing process, components and product designs. We were able to prove the relatively low risk of problems using existing materials and potentially costly search for, and implementation, of alternatives. The impact of working with NPL was both time and cost savings. Working with NPL was like having insurance in place, providing confidence in process and designs and creating standards and specifications against which later products and components could be designed.

Steve Kuc, SSTL 

In addition to our standard commercial measurement offering, we run a number of programmes which offer measurement services at no cost for a fixed time period in specific industries and geographies. Our Measurement for Business (M4B) programme is one such example and is currently open for applications. 

Find out more and apply