Working with British quantum technology company Aquark Technologies, the Navy tested Aquark’s compact cold atom systems that use a unique laser cooling method.
This approach to fabricating cold atoms eliminates the need for an applied magnetic field, which significantly reduces the size, weight, power consumption and cost of sensors. Cold atoms are cooled by the laser to temperatures close to absolute zero (-273.15°C), slowing their thermal motion and allowing precise control of their quantum mechanical properties. Quantum sensing technology can detect electric and magnetic fields as well as instantaneous changes in motion by collecting data at the atomic level.
Commander Matthew Steele, chief of the Advanced Technologies Division of the nation’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), emphasized that these advances will provide alternative positioning, navigation and timing capabilities that are critical for operations in environments where GPS may be jammed.
Source: Ferra
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