The breakthrough, achieved by scientists at Heriot-Watt University, allows multiple telescopes to act as one, providing 'astonishing' details of the universe. This advancement is the culmination of a research programme that began over 15 years ago and could transform the design of future astronomical instruments, making them smaller, more robust, and easier to upgrade.
The photonic chip, developed at Heriot-Watt University’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences by Professor Robert Thomson and Dr Aurélien Benoît, guides light through thin glass channels, similar to how integrated circuits guide electrons. It was successfully used for the first time in on-sky observations at the CHARA Array in California, a leading facility for high-resolution astronomy.
The results demonstrate that this compact technology can perform a task traditionally requiring much larger and more complex optical systems. The study, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), suggests the technology could support ambitious astronomical goals, such as studying planetary system formation and directly detecting exoplanets.
“"Seeing this technology progress from fundamental research and early laboratory demonstrations to successful operation at one of the world’s leading facilities is a particularly significant outcome and a demonstration of the power of international collaboration."
The international project involved researchers from the UK (Heriot-Watt University), Germany (Cologne and Potsdam Universities), and the United States (The CHARA array of Georgia State University). The chip is part of an instrument called CHARIOT, designed as a testbed for new photonic technologies. During observing campaigns in 2024 and 2025, CHARIOT successfully combined light from telescopes at the CHARA Array, detecting signals from stars fainter than those reached by the system it replaced.
“"The great advantage of our approach is that we can integrate complex optical functions into a remarkably small and stable glass chip. Combined with the flexibility of CHARIOT, this gives us a powerful platform for rapidly testing and validating increasingly advanced photonic technologies as we develop them."
Dr Aline Dinkelaker, lead author from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam, stated that demonstrating this technology under real observing conditions is a crucial step, confirming that photonic technologies can meet the performance demands of frontline astronomical research. The flexibility of the CHARIOT instrument allows different photonic technology chips to be swapped within hours, facilitating rapid testing of improved designs.
