Leo Charlton Technology Analyst

Leo is a Technology Analyst with IDTechEx. His research interests are in quantum technologies and nanophotonics.

Leo holds a BA degree in Music from the University of Leeds and a BSc degree in Mathematics & Physics from the Open University, both with First classifications. Electing to tailor his studies to understanding emergent quantum technologies, Leo subsequently attended Imperial College London, attaining an MSc Physics with Quantum Dynamics degree, with a Merit classification. His Masters project involved implementing an External Cavity Diode Laser (ECDL) to address a vibrational transition for Calcium Monofluoride (CaF). To do this, an ECDL in the Littrow configuration was subjected to ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and cooled in order to decrease the lasing wavelength. The ECDL was then characterized for stability via implementation of a feed-forward circuit.

 

Upon graduating from Imperial College London, Leo spent nine months as a postgraduate researcher on the ultracold CaF experiment at Imperial. The experiment is world-leading in the field of atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics, with the aim being to directly laser cool CaF to microkelvin temperatures, trap the molecules in optical tweezers, and investigate the electric dipole-dipole interaction between two molecules. Said interaction can be used to entangle the molecules, transforming them into qubits, thereby potentially paving the way for their usage in quantum simulation/computing devices.

At IDTechEx, Leo is conducting research into semiconductor circuitry, their applications (such as for photonics and AI accelerators), and the challenges faced in their manufacture and adoption.