Atomic beam quantum sensor on a chip

The miniaturization of high flux, cold alkali atom sources is key to bringing quantum sensors into space applications, as outlined in Science Mission Directorate topic S16.08. This is particularly true for novel areas such as atom-interferometry based precision gravimetry and inertial sensing that are in many ways two sides of the same coin. Achieving these goals requires fundamental innovations that can reduce sensor SWaP (Size, Weight and Power). Currently atom source size is a severe bottleneck due to a fundamental size/flux tradeoff. Existing, mature technologies available for cold atom production still rely on bulky 2D MOTs for which centimeter scale dimensions are usually required. This funding will be used to design and simulate the performance of a chip-scale gyroscope relevant to these applications that uses miniature slow atomic beams. This will disrupt the current paradigm of hand-assembled sensors by deploying semiconductor batch fabrication in all areas of the cold atom sensor architecture that can lower the sensor cost and bring these innovations to everyday use in the growing space markets for government and private customers.