CAREER: Solid-state quantum navigation and timekeeping

职业：固态量子导航和计时

• 批准号: 2339862
• 负责人: Jennifer Choy
• 金额: $ 55万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-09-01 至 2029-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2339862&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Solid; state; quantum; navigation

Quantum sensing can be broadly described as the use of quantum systems and phenomena to measure the physical properties of their environment. Quantum sensors using atoms and ions have led to the most precise clocks and measurements of inertial forces such as acceleration and rotation, which make them attractive for their potential use in navigation systems. However, the hardware needed to prepare and measure atoms and ions tend to be big and complex, making it challenging to miniaturize these sensors as well as maintain high performance in real-world settings. This project will develop alternative navigation tools based on solid-state quantum systems, which can circumvent some of the difficulties in integrating and miniaturizing atom-based sensors. Given the limitations of the Global Positioning System (GPS), which can be vulnerable to signal obstruction and interference, these miniaturized and accurate quantum sensors have the potential to improve the safety of civilians when traveling in challenging terrains and make autonomous vehicles safer and more reliable. The technical developments in the project will be conducted alongside education and outreach activities that focus on multidisciplinary training of undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of quantum and optical science, electrical engineering, and materials science, as well as broadening participation of students form diverse backgrounds in quantum research. These activities will include introduction of new undergraduate courses on quantum sensing and development of classroom lab kits for high-school education.This project aim to realize compact, deployable, and self-reliant navigation and timekeeping systems using quantum emitters in Group IV materials through three research thrusts: (1) Engineering of broadband and stable vector magnetometry using color centers in diamond for magnetic navigation, by enhancing sensitivity through integration with photonic devices designed with adjoint optimization and by conducting simultaneous measurements of complementary properties to isolate the vector magnetic field of interest. (2) Demonstration of accelerometers and gyroscopes based on solid-state spins, with emphasis on improving the stability and quantum coherence of spin defects and implementing combinatorial algorithms that enable real-time cancellation of undesired background (non-inertial) perturbations that affect the inertial signal. (3) Exploration of magnetically insensitive electron transitions in silicon carbide for timing, with the ultimate goal of realizing practical and miniaturized solid-state quantum clocks with superior performance to crystal oscillators. This thrust will leverage materials processing and device fabrication technologies in silicon to generate high-quality quantum defects, as well as combine techniques developed from earlier thrusts to stabilize the clock signal.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

量子传感可以广泛地描述为使用量子系统和现象来测量其环境的物理特性。使用原子和离子的量子传感器导致了最精确的时钟和惯性力（例如加速度和旋转）的测量，这使它们在导航系统中的潜在使用中有吸引力。但是，准备和测量原子和离子所需的硬件往往是大而复杂的，因此将这些传感器微型化并在现实世界中保持高性能而具有挑战性。该项目将开发基于固态量子系统的替代导航工具，这可以规定整合和微型化原子传感器的一些困难。鉴于可能容易受到信号阻塞和干扰的全球定位系统（GP）的局限性，这些微型和准确的量子传感器有可能在在具有挑战性的地形中行驶并使自动驾驶汽车更安全，更可靠时，有可能提高平民的安全。该项目的技术发展将与教育和外展活动一起进行，这些活动着重于对量子和光学科学，电气工程和材料科学领域的本科生和研究生的多学科培训，并扩大了学生在量子研究中的各种背景。这些活动将包括引入有关用于高中教育的课堂实验室套件的新本科课程。该项目旨在实现紧凑，可部署和自力更生的导航和使用IV组中的量子发射器中的量子材料中的量子材料中的量子材料通过三个研究推动力：（1）通过增强宽带和稳定的量子元素的量子仪，使用量子强度的磁力范围，用于使用IV组中的量子材料：（1）通过伴随优化设计的设备并通过对互补特性进行同时测量以隔离感兴趣的向量磁场。 （2）基于固态旋转的加速度计和陀螺仪的演示，重点是改善自旋缺陷的稳定性和量子相干性，并实现了影响局部信号的不良背景（非惯性）扰动的实时取消的组合算法。 （3）在碳化硅碳化物中对磁性不敏感的电子过渡的探索，其最终目的是实现实用和微型化的固态量子钟，其性能优于晶体振荡器。这种推力将利用硅中的材料处理和设备制造技术产生高质量的量子缺陷，以及从早期推力开发的结合技术来稳定时钟信号。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过评估该基金会的知识分子优点和广泛的影响来评估NSF的法定任务。