Where innovation meets precision
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Our instruments power research and innovation across diverse fields. From quantum computing to atomic force microscopy, discover how researchers worldwide are pushing boundaries with our technology.
Quantum circuits
Superconducting quantum circuits have become one of the most powerful and flexible platforms in the "quantum toolbox". Beyond their well-known path towards computation, they are exquisite, engineered systems for exploring the fundamental laws of physics in a highly controlled environment. Researchers utilize these circuits to investigate ultrastrong light-matter interaction, probe quantum thermodynamics, and engineer artificial environments to observe "giant atoms" or the dynamical Casimir effect. The frontier also extends to hybrid systems, coupling microwave circuits to mechanical vibrations via Surface Acoustic Waves (SAWs) or bridging quantum domains with optical-to-microwave transducers. To detect the fragile signals from these diverse setups—often using Quantum Limited Amplifiers (JPAs, TWPAs)—requires ultimate flexibility. One must sculpt complex control pulses and drive mechanical or optical elements, all while simultaneously generating precise pump tones, perfectly synchronized to capture the quantum response. This kind of exploratory physics cannot be done with a rigid, black-box system. It requires an open, powerful, and programmable control platform—one that combines arbitrary pulse generation, multi-channel control, and high-speed analysis in a single, coherent instrument. See how your peers are using Presto to build these flexible experimental setups, exploring the frontiers of fundamental physics and characterizing devices driving the second quantum revolution in the application notes and testimonials below.
Quantum sensing
Quantum sensing promises to unlock measurement capabilities defined only by fundamental constants. This is particularly evident in superconducting technologies like Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs), Bolometers, and Quantum Capacitance Detectors (QCDs). These sensors offer distinct advantages for astronomy and qubit readout: vanishingly low dark counts, high speed, and the potential for massive scalability. Whether it is a photon hitting a KID, heat warming a nanobolometer, or electron tunneling in a QCD, the detection event causes a subtle shift in the resonator’s frequency or impedance. The engineering challenge is multiplexing: to make these practical, you must read out thousands of sensors (pixels) simultaneously through a single cryostat line to minimize heat load. This requires generating a precise "comb" of probe tones and tracking the complex response of every individual sensor in real-time. Traditional instruments are too slow to scale and lack the onboard processing power for real-time analysis. Presto solves this by offering complete measurement freedom. Whether you need to work in the time domain (pulse sequences), the frequency domain (FFT/PSD), or perform massive multi-frequency lock-in detection, Presto adapts to your physics. This flexibility enables you to multiplex thousands of sensors across a wide bandwidth, reading out large arrays of KIDs, bolometers, and resonator-based sensors with zero crosstalk. Discover how our platform is enabling the readout of next-generation sensor arrays in the application notes below.
Radar
The drive for high-resolution, resilient, and stealthy sensing has pushed radar development beyond conventional pulsed systems. Researchers are exploring two key frontiers: practical Noise Radar, for its proven Low Probability of Intercept (LPI), and the more theoretical path of Quantum Radar. Our own research projects exploring quantum illumination prototypes confirmed that while its practical advantages over classical systems remain elusive, its core instrumentation challenge is identical to that of noise radar. Both techniques are entirely dependent on correlating a faint, time-delayed echo with a perfect replica of the complex, wideband waveform it transmitted. This "zero-delay" correlation problem is the single point of failure. Any latency, jitter, or synchronization error between a separate waveform generator and a data acquisition system is fatal. The solution is a unified platform where ultra-stable generation and high-speed acquisition are integrated on a single chip hardware clock. Discover how researchers are using Presto and Vivace to master this synchronization challenge in the application notes and testimonials below.
Lock-in
The lock-in amplifier is the cornerstone of precision measurement. It is the essential tool for extracting a signal with a known carrier wave from an extremely noisy environment. From optical spectroscopy to transport measurements, it allows researchers to recover critical data that would otherwise be buried in the noise floor. However, modern physics is rarely monochromatic. Complex experiments—whether characterizing non-linear devices or reading out sensor arrays—produce signals across a spectrum. Traditional single-frequency lock-ins force researchers to perform slow sequential scans or stack multiple instruments, which limits speed and introduces synchronization errors. The challenge is to extract noisy signals at many frequencies simultaneously without compromising on precision. Our platforms solve this by offering massive parallel processing power. For base band needs, the MLA-3 Multifrequency Lock-in Amplifier measures up to 32 frequencies simultaneously within an 80 MHz bandwidth. For microwave applications, Presto captures 192 frequencies with a massive 1 GHz instantaneous bandwidth, measuring signals up to 10 GHz. In both instruments, it is possible to distinguish signals just 60 mHz apart without leakage. By replacing banks of standard instruments with a single multifrequency core, you achieve faster data acquisition and higher sensitivity. Discover these capabilities in the application notes below.
Atomic force microscopy
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful, universal technique capable of imaging almost any surface type, from polymers, ceramics, and composites to delicate biological samples. But the modern goal extends beyond simple topography; researchers now use AFM to measure and localize specific physical forces—including adhesion strength, magnetic fields, and mechanical properties—with nanometer precision. The measurement relies on a sharp tip, approximately 10 to 20 nm in diameter, interacting with the sample. The physics of this tip-surface interaction is inherently non-linear. While this non-linearity makes the signal complex, it also encodes the rich material properties of the surface. The challenge lies in capturing enough of this complex signal to accurately decode those properties, which requires analyzing the cantilever's response far beyond the fundamental frequency. Standard controllers often miss this rich data. To fully exploit the non-linear response, we developed the Multifrequency AFM kit and the MLA-3 Multifrequency lock-in amplifier. This platform can simultaneously measure up to 32 harmonics of the cantilever’s motion, providing a complete picture of the interaction. By capturing these higher harmonics, our system enables you to extract surface properties faster and with significantly better sensitivity. See how this multi-harmonic approach is driving new research in the application notes below.
Quartz crystal microbalance
From monitoring thin film deposition rates in vacuum to determining protein affinity in liquid environments, the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is the gold standard for measuring mass variation per unit area. Its ability to operate across diverse phases makes it indispensable for tracking everything from oxide growth to the kinetics of functionalized surfaces. While the principle relies on detecting frequency shifts in the quartz resonator due to mass loading, advanced applications require more. Particularly in liquid or with viscoelastic biological samples, simply tracking the fundamental frequency is insufficient. To fully characterize the layer—separating mass from viscosity and rigidity—researchers must measure energy dissipation (D) and track the response across multiple harmonics simultaneously. Capturing these fast, multi-parameter kinetics requires more than a simple frequency counter. It demands a coherent, all-in-one platform that combines a precise coherent multi-frequency drive with a high-bandwidth multifrequency lock-in amplifier, allowing you to track the full resonance curve and its harmonics in real-time. Discover how the MLA-3 Multifrequency lock-in amplifier provides the speed and stability needed for advanced QCM and QCM-D measurements in the application notes and testimonials below.