Back to news

September 4, 2020 | International, C4ISR

Harnessing Quantum Technologies at Room Temperature

Quantum research in both information science and sensing shows great promise for enabling a host of new defense applications. A major hindrance to transitioning breakthroughs from the laboratory to practical use, however, is the extensive equipment needed to cool and trap atoms to exploit their quantum features.

To address this challenge, DARPA has announced its Science of Atomic Vapors for New Technologies (SAVaNT) program. SAVaNT seeks to advance the performance of room-temperature atomic vapors to enable future opportunities for unprecedented combinations of low size, weight, and power (SWaP) with performance across multiple Department of Defense domains.

“The SAVaNT program will explore a new suite of technologies based on room-temperature atomic vapors to address important gaps for military-relevant applications,” said Tatjana Curcic, program manager in DARPA's Defense Sciences Office. “We're interested in innovative research proposals that significantly advance the performance of atomic vapors for electric field sensing and imaging, magnetic field sensing, and quantum information science.”

The program is focused on warm atomic vapors as opposed to cold-atom technology, which requires cooling atoms to very low temperatures with lasers to reduce thermal noise. This process has enabled the world's most accurate atomic clocks with unprecedented levels of timing precision. But the apparatuses needed to cool the atoms can fill up a laboratory, making laboratory atomic clocks impractical for field use. The warm atomic vapors approach, on the other hand, doesn't require complex laser-cooling and allows for a larger number of atoms, boosting the signal. The challenge, however, is that thermal environment effects – even at room temperature – significantly mitigate how long the quantum effects, or coherence, can last.

SaVaNT researchers will demonstrate novel methods in three technical areas to overcome limitations due to thermal effects: Technical Area 1 seeks to develop a Rydberg sensor – which uses atoms to sense electric fields – that would provide ultra-narrow bandwidth, high-sensitivity electric field detection for millimeter waves. Technical Area 2 focuses on Vector Magnetometry to enable low-SWaP, room-temperature, quasi-DC magnetic field sensors. The third technical area will address vapor quantum electrodynamics to enable critical components for quantum networks at room temperature. Current methods require either cryogenics or laser cooling and trapping.

A Proposers Day for interested proposers will be held virtually via webinar on Sept. 3. The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation with full details is available here: https://go.usa.gov/xGr4C

https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2020-09-01a

On the same subject

  • OSI Systems Awarded $8 Million Contract for Cargo and Vehicle Inspection Systems

    July 19, 2019 | International, Land, Other Defence

    OSI Systems Awarded $8 Million Contract for Cargo and Vehicle Inspection Systems

    HAWTHORNE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OSI Systems, Inc. (the “Company” or “OSI Systems”) (NASDAQ: OSIS) today announced that its Security division was awarded a contract valued at approximately $8 million by a U.S. government customer to provide cargo and vehicle inspection systems. OSI Systems' Chairman and CEO, Deepak Chopra, stated, “We are pleased to receive this award and look forward to delivering our advanced technology solutions that are designed to provide enhanced imaging to help identify impermissible items.” About OSI Systems OSI Systems is a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of specialized electronic systems and components for critical applications in the homeland security, healthcare, defense and aerospace industries. The Company combines more than 40 years of electronics engineering and manufacturing experience with offices and production facilities in more than a dozen countries to implement a strategy of expansion into selective end product markets. For more information on OSI Systems or its subsidiary companies, visit www.osi-systems.com. News Filter: OSIS-G Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements relate to OSI Systems' current expectations, beliefs, and projections concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve uncertainties, risks, assumptions, and contingencies, many of which are outside OSI Systems' control and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those described in or implied by any forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on currently available information and speak only as of the date on which they are made. OSI Systems assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement made in this press release that becomes untrue because of subsequent events, new information, or otherwise, except to the extent it is required to do so in connection with its ongoing requirements under Federal securities laws. For a further discussion of factors that could cause OSI Systems' future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in OSI Systems' most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and other risks described therein and in documents subsequently filed by OSI Systems from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE: OSI Systems, Inc. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190717005233/en

  • Austrian Pandur vehicles to schlep slimmed Skyranger air-defense gun

    February 26, 2024 | International, Land

    Austrian Pandur vehicles to schlep slimmed Skyranger air-defense gun

    Rheinmetall has found its first customer for a new version of the company's Skyranger 30 air-defense system, a sale that executives hope will spur others.

  • Destroyer Preble to get Lockheed high-energy laser in 2022

    January 14, 2022 | International, Naval

    Destroyer Preble to get Lockheed high-energy laser in 2022

    Planned HELIOS installation comes amid congressional scrutiny of the tech and tightening contract deadlines.

All news