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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 will develop a highly sensitive and selective multi-species laser gas sensor to detect open paths of methane, ethane and hydrogen sulphide leakage from oil and gas extraction and oil refineries. The sensor will be based on laser dispersion spectroscopy (CLaDS) techniques in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral region and employs monolithic, widely tunable Vernier quantum laser (QCL) lasers and MCT high-bandwidth photodetectors.

As part of the project, VIGO Photonics has developed an integrated optoelectronic infrared detector module, intended for a spectrophotometer developed by foreign partners. This task required modification of the existing technology of assembly and testing of the detector itself and the entire detection module. Currently produced detectors were mounteded in a hermetic housing and only then connected with the electronic part of the preamplifier. As part of the first part of the project, the assembly technology was developed, in which the most important was the development of the detection structure positioning technology and testing of linearity, field of view and detector sensitivity. In the second step, a fast ~ 1 GHz linear impedance matched preamplifier was developed. The encapsulation technology was also improved in terms of ensuring long, trouble-free operation. In the last stage, the detector was integrated with the preamplifier, and the whole was hermetized. After completion of the detection module, tests and calibration operations of the device were performed, and then the entire system was handed over to a co-partner for further integration. The supplied modules are one of the main components of the coherent dispersive spectrometer developed in the project.

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 result of the project is the development of detection modules technology with a detector integrated with electronics in a hermetic housing. Integrated optoelectronic modules for the multi-heterodyne laser absorption spectroscopy system have been developed. These are detection modules dedicated to the petrochemical analyzer developed by a foreign partner, IRSweep (as part of the international PETRA project). The use of an adequately high-sensitivity and broadband detection unit was required. The basis of the detector construction are complex HgCdTe heterostructures made by MOCVD method. It was necessary to do a comprehensive optimization of the entire detection module, providing both the current technological possibilities in the design of the detector and the parameters of currently available electronic components. After completion of the project, the developed 1 GHz detection module for the petrochemical analyzer, similar and other applications was put into production. VIGO has tightened cooperation with foreign partners, which results in the implementation of another project under the EUROSTARS program with one of them, Alpes Lasers SA. It is the ACCORDS project – “Coherent Dispersion Spectrometer”.

Companies associated in the consortium: