Chile’s National Agency for Research and Development (then CONICYT, later ANID) funded the creation of the Millennium Institute for Research in Optics (MIRO), a government-supported research center dedicated to fundamental and applied quantum optics. MIRO brings together researchers from five Chilean universities, including the University of Chile, the University of Concepción, and the University of Santiago.
MIRO’s research lines include quantum computing, quantum communication, light-based information transmission, data security, and light sources with novel properties. The institute operates under the Millennium Science Initiative program, which funds centers of excellence in Chile through competitive, internationally reviewed selection processes.
According to the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, MIRO focuses on “scientific innovation of the area and possible source of new technologies, through theoretical and experimental research.” The institute’s initial five-year term ran from 2018 to 2022, and it was subsequently renewed for a second term through 2027.