Optimization of a Next-Generation Quantum Sensor

Ultracold atom-based quantum sensors such as waveguide atom interferometers may lead to a breakthrough in the advancement of quantum navigation technology, particularly when the global positioning system (GPS) is unavailable or denied. In these devices, a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) provides matter waves that propagate inside a waveguide formed by a collimated laser beam or magnetic field. Recently, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) demonstrated the first realization of a tightly-guided Sagnac atom interferometer. A BEC is split, reflected, and recombined in it using standing wave laser pulses while the waveguide moves so that the trajectories of the two oppositely directed clouds enclose an area called the Sagnac area. However, technical noise within the current setup decreases the interferometric fringe contrast, consequently reducing the rotation sensitivity of the device. A notable source of mechanical noise is the slow drift in the optical table tilt affecting the waveguide potential, leading to unwanted effects such as initial atomic velocity at the beginning of the interferometer sequence. An appropriate control algorithm and pneumatic setup are implemented to stabilize the table and effectively eliminate the associated noise. Moreover, optical fiber-based laser systems will replace the free-space laser systems and be integrated with Infleqtion’s magneto-optical trap (MOT) to further compact the atom interferometer. Through these architectural improvements, the optimized and compact waveguide atom interferometer is envisioned as a portable rotation sensor, surpassing the current state-of-the-art performance.