After the ASPIRE 2026 symposium, I had the opportunity to visit Bordeaux, France, for three days (October 7–9) together with other members interested in laser system development. Bordeaux is one of the leading centers of optics and photonics in France. It is home to LP2N (Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences), which hosts research groups working on cold atoms, atom interferometry, and quantum optics, as well as many photonics companies such as ALPhANOV, Aerodiode, Muquans (now part of Exail), and Toptica France.

During this trip, we visited ALPhANOV and Aerodiode, as well as several research groups at LP2N working on fiber amplifiers, cold atoms, and atom interferometry. Through the laboratory tours and discussions with researchers and engineers, I was able to deepen my understanding of the latest laser technologies and how they are applied to cold atom and atom interferometry experiments.

At the companies, we shared our interests and the various requirements of cold atom experiments, particularly those aimed at applications in quantum computing. In return, the companies presented possible solutions and openly discussed the limitations of what they can currently offer. In addition, through presentations on their R&D activities and tours of their production and development sites, I was able to gain new knowledge and ideas for our own laser systems.

At LP2N, we visited several laboratories, including groups working on cold atoms and atom interferometry. For me, the most valuable visit was to the group of Giorgio Santarelli, which develops fiber lasers. This group has been working for more than ten years on topics closely related to the project I am currently pursuing in our laboratory. Through the lab tour and conversations with the students, I gained new insights and was able to confirm that my project is moving in the right direction.

In the evenings, after a full day of visits, we had a little time to enjoy the beautiful streets of Bordeaux and its famous canelés. I was also happy to reunite with Max, a former intern at IMS, and we enjoyed a French dinner together with Bordeaux wine.

I look forward to continuing the connections we made during this visit and applying what I learned to my own laser system development. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone at ALPhANOV, Aerodiode, and LP2N for their kind hospitality, and to the ASPIRE program for providing such a valuable opportunity.