NuQuESTS is a French–Austrian project developing a new approach to quantum sensing based on the nuclear spins of noble-gas atoms. Funded jointly by the ANR and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the project runs from January 2026 to December 2029 and brings together the experimental expertise of the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel with the theoretical quantum-optics expertise of the University of Innsbruck.
Quantum states must be isolated from environmental noise to remain coherent, but they must also be accessible for preparation, manipulation and readout. These requirements usually work against one another.
NuQuESTS explores nuclear spins in noble gases as a way around this dilemma. Their closed electronic shells naturally protect the nuclear degree of freedom, allowing exceptionally long coherence times under comparatively accessible conditions. The project investigates how light and laser-addressable atoms can provide a controlled interface to these protected states.
The project combines experiment, theory and photonic integration to:
A central direction of NuQuESTS is the use of gas-filled hollow-core fibres. Guiding light and atoms together over long distances strengthens their interaction while reducing the footprint of the experiment. In the longer term, this could turn laboratory-scale nuclear-spin experiments into portable fibre-integrated quantum components.
Read the official NuQuESTS project description on the FWF Research Radar.