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Eurostars

8 June 2022

In 2007, the Minister of Science and Higher Education commissioned the National Centre for Research and Development to conduct all activities related to the participation of Polish units in the EUROSTARS Programme.

This is a programme of the EUREKA Initiative and the European Union supporting, on the basis of Article 185 of the European Treaty, projects carried out by small and medium-sized enterprises conducting research. What is new in relation to other programmes is the plan to implement the results of the project within two years of its completion.

The EUROSTARS programme is implemented through a network of EUREKA National Offices, Member State representatives in the EUREKA High-Level Group and the EUREKA Secretariat.

Poland's representative in the EUROSTARS High-Level Group is the Director of the Programme Management Division of the National Centre for Research and Development.

The Eurostars 2 Programme aims to support micro, small or medium-sized entrepreneurs engaged in research and development activities by co-financing their market-oriented research projects in all fields. The Programme offers financial support from national and EU funds for projects carried out by micro, small or medium-sized entrepreneurs in cooperation with international partners (including research centres, universities or companies).

For more information visit: https:/www.eurostars-eureka.eu/

Select project:
Finished project

COHERENT DISPERSION SPECTROMETER (ACCORDS)

  • Agreement no.
  • Duration:
  • Total Cost:
  • Eligible costs:
  • Project coordinator:
  • Project partners:
  • E11400/31/NCBR/2017
  • 01.01.2018 – 28.02.2020 (NCBiR) / 1.10.2017 – 20.09.2020 (UE)
  • PLN 1,564,125.92 (NCBiR) / EUR 1,884, 682.00 (EU)
  • PLN 782 062,96 (NCBiR)
  • ALPES Lasers S.A. (Switzerland)
  • MIRICO (United Kingdom), VIGO Photonics S.A (Poland)
  • Agreement no. E11400/31/NCBR/2017
  • Duration: 01.01.2018 – 28.02.2020 (NCBiR) / 1.10.2017 – 20.09.2020 (UE)
  • Total Cost: PLN 1,564,125.92 (NCBiR) / EUR 1,884, 682.00 (EU)
  • Eligible costs: PLN 782 062,96 (NCBiR)
  • Project coordinator: ALPES Lasers S.A. (Switzerland)
  • Project partners: MIRICO (United Kingdom), VIGO Photonics S.A (Poland)

The project has developed a highly sensitive, selective laser gas sensor for detecting methane, ethane and hydrogen sulfide leaks in free space from oil and gas production facilities and oil refineries. The sensor uses a laser dispersive spectroscopy (CLaDS) technique in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral region and employs monolithic, broadly tunable quantum dot Vernier lasers (QCLs) and high-bandwidth MCT photodetectors.

As part of the project, VIGO developed an integrated optoelectronic infrared detector module for a spectrophotometer being developed by foreign partners. This task required modification of the existing technology for assembly and testing of the detector itself and the entire detection module. The fabricated detectors were assembled in a hermetic housing, and only then were they combined with the electronic part of the preamplifier. As part of the first part of the project, the assembly technology was developed, where the most important thing was to develop the technology for positioning the detection structure and testing the linearity, field of view and sensitivity of the detector. In the second stage, a high-speed ~1 GHz, linear, impedance-matched preamplifier was designed and fabricated. The encapsulation technology was also improved for long, trouble-free operation. In the final stage, the integration of the detector with the

preamplifier was carried out, and the whole thing was encapsulated. After completion of the detection module, a number of tests and calibration operations were carried out on the device and then the whole thing was handed over to a co-partner for further system integration. The delivered modules were one of the main components of the coherent dispersive spectrometer developed in the project.

The project was co-funded by the National Center for Research and Development under the Eurostar-2 Program

Finished project

Petrochemical analyzer (PETRA)

  • Agreement no.
  • Duration:
  • Overall budget:
  • Eligible costs (NCBR):
  • Co-funding (NCBR):
  • Project partners:
  • E9768/23/NCBR/2016
  • 1/10/2015-30/09/2018 (1.10.2015-30.09.2017 VIGO Photonics S.A.)
  • EUR 1,393,498.00
  • PLN 1,707,626.25
  • PLN 853,813.12
  • IRsweep GmbH (Switzerland), Alpes Lasers SA (Switzerland), VIGO Photonics S.A (Poland)
  • Agreement no. E9768/23/NCBR/2016
  • Duration: 1/10/2015-30/09/2018 (1.10.2015-30.09.2017 VIGO Photonics S.A.)
  • Overall budget: EUR 1,393,498.00
  • Eligible costs (NCBR): PLN 1,707,626.25
  • Co-funding (NCBR): PLN 853,813.12
  • Project partners: IRsweep GmbH (Switzerland), Alpes Lasers SA (Switzerland), VIGO Photonics S.A (Poland)

The goal of the PETRA project was to develop detector module technology with an electronics-integrated detector in a hermetic housing. VIGO has developed integrated optoelectronic modules for a multi-heterodyne laser absorption spectroscopy system. These are dedicated detection modules for a petrochemical analyzer being developed by foreign partner IRSweep (as part of its part of the PETRA international project). This required a suitably high-sensitivity and broadband detection unit. The basis of the detector design is complex HgCdTe heterostructures fabricated by the MOCVD method. It was necessary to comprehensively optimize the entire detection module, taking into account both current technological possibilities in detector design and the parameters of currently available electronic components. Upon completion of the project, the developed 1 GHz band detector module was put into production for a petrochemical analyzer and analog and other applications. In addition, VIGO has strengthened cooperation with foreign partners resulting, among other things, in the implementation of another project under the EUROSTAES program with one of them Alpes Lasers SA. This is the ACCORDS project - "Coherent Dispersive Spectrometer".