Quantum Design at the UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase 2026

Supporting the Quantum Technology Journey – From Materials to Measurement

Quantum Design UK & Ireland and Quantum Design Oxford will be at the UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase 2026, joining one of the UK’s largest gatherings of organisations working across the quantum ecosystem.

Taking place at the Business Design Centre in London on 6 November 2026, the Showcase brings together industry, academia, government, investors and innovators working across quantum computing, sensing, imaging, communications and the infrastructure needed to turn emerging technologies into practical applications. This year’s theme is “Turning Breakthrough Ideas into Industry Giants.”

We’ll be there to talk about the scientific instrumentation that supports quantum research at different stages – from developing and characterising quantum materials to investigating devices and optical systems at cryogenic temperatures.

Making cryogenic quantum research more accessible

For many researchers entering quantum science, getting samples cold is only the beginning. The challenge is creating a stable, low-vibration experimental environment that can be integrated with optical, electrical or magnetic measurements.

Montana Instruments specialises in closed-cycle optical cryostats designed to make cryogenic research straightforward, with automated operation, low vibration, temperature stability and excellent optical access.

The Cryostation® S200, for example, provides a large working volume and multiple optical ports, making it suitable for experiments involving spectroscopy, microscopy, photonics, quantum materials and quantum information research. The system operates from approximately 3.6 K to 350 K and provides a modular platform for integrating additional experimental components.

Montana’s systems have already been used in quantum-related research. Applications include investigating single-flux-quantum circuits for superconducting electronics, studying single-photon emission from quantum dots and characterising rare-earth-doped materials for quantum information science.

For researchers developing quantum emitters, photonic devices, superconducting materials, single-photon sources or quantum sensors, a Montana cryostat can provide a practical starting point for bringing those experiments into a controlled cryogenic environment.

Optical access for quantum experiments

Quantum research increasingly depends on combining cryogenic environments with optical measurements.

Montana Instruments’ cryostats can be configured with options including high-NA objectives, nanopositioners, fibre optics and magneto-optical components, enabling researchers to build experiments around their particular measurement requirements.

This makes them relevant to areas including quantum photonics, single-photon sources, quantum dots, nanophotonics and optical spectroscopy.

The low-vibration characteristics of the systems can also be important where maintaining precise optical alignment is critical. QDUKI has worked with UK researchers using Montana Cryostations for low-temperature spectroscopy and nanophotonic measurements, including experiments investigating single organic molecules and quantum technology applications.

Measuring the materials behind quantum technologies

Quantum technologies depend on materials with increasingly precise and unusual properties. Characterising those materials – before they become part of a quantum device – is therefore an important part of the development process.

Lake Shore provides measurement and control technologies for this work, including temperature sensors, controllers and electrical measurement systems.

For researchers investigating semiconductors, quantum materials and electronic transport, the MeasureReady® M91 FastHall™ Measurement Controller provides automated Hall-effect measurement and analysis, delivering parameters including resistivity, carrier type, carrier concentration, mobility and Hall coefficient. Its FastHall technique avoids the need to reverse the magnetic field during measurements and is designed to improve measurement speed and reduce thermal drift.

Lake Shore technologies can also be integrated with other cryogenic and magnetic measurement platforms, providing researchers with greater control over temperature-dependent experiments.

Cryogenic environments for optical and magnetic measurements

For experiments requiring both cryogenic temperatures and magnetic fields, QDUKI can also discuss Quantum Design’s OptiCool® optical cryostat.

OptiCool combines a cryogen-free environment with a superconducting magnet and optical access, allowing researchers to investigate materials under controlled combinations of temperature, magnetic field and optical excitation.

This can be particularly relevant to quantum materials, magneto-optics, spin-related phenomena, spectroscopy and optically detected effects.

For researchers working at the interface between quantum materials and device development, QDUKI can also discuss Quantum Design Oxford’s cryogenic and high-field technologies, including the Proteox® family of dilution refrigerators and superconducting magnet systems.

A broader instrumentation toolkit for quantum research

Quantum technology is not a single research discipline. It encompasses materials science, photonics, electronics, cryogenics, sensing, imaging and advanced measurement.

That’s reflected in the range of technologies available from Quantum Design UK & Ireland.

Alongside Montana Instruments, Lake Shore and Quantum Design Oxford, our portfolio includes advanced microscopy, optical characterisation, magnetic measurement and imaging technologies that can support researchers as quantum concepts move from fundamental research towards practical devices and systems.

The UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase provides an opportunity to explore how these different technologies connect – and to have conversations about the measurement challenges that arise at each stage of the research journey. The event is specifically designed to bring together organisations across the quantum ecosystem and to encourage new partnerships, investment and collaboration.

Let’s talk quantum

Whether you’re developing a quantum material, characterising a single-photon source, investigating a quantum sensor, building a cryogenic photonics experiment or looking for ways to scale a quantum research platform, we’d be happy to discuss your requirements.

Come and meet Quantum Design UK & Ireland at the UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase 2026 and talk to our team about the instrumentation that could support your next experiment.

6 November 2026 | Business Design Centre, London

Come and have an informal chat about your quantum research and measurement challenges.