The QUASIMIR project (QUAntum Spectroscopy and Imaging in the Mid-InfraRed) aims to push the boundaries of imaging and spectroscopy in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) range, a key region for detecting molecular signatures. Led by the XLIM laboratory in Limoges, the project focuses on generating entangled photon pairs in the near-infrared (near-IR) and mid-infrared bands using nonlinear optical fibers.
Key objectives include developing specialized optical fibers and tailored lasers to produce correlated photons, studying their quantum properties, and applying them to fields such as spectroscopy and imaging with undetected photons. The research leverages cutting-edge techniques like spontaneous four-wave mixing (spFWM) in dispersion-optimized fibers, combining strong light-matter interaction with high integration potential in optical networks.
The project brings together strategic partners, including XLIM, the Carnot Institute of Burgundy for tellurite glass fiber fabrication, and Exail for GeO₂-doped fibers. These collaborations will address major scientific and technological challenges, opening new opportunities in biological sensing, environmental monitoring, and applications in medical and astronomical imaging.