Abstract
A cold atom system for an inertial navigation system (INS) demonstrator utilising atom interferometry is presented. Laser-cooled rubidium-87 atoms in a grating magneto-optical trap (gMOT) are used to measure acceleration along a single axis. This system demonstrates a novel technique in quantum-enabled navigation which could offer significant improvement in precision and reduction in the drift present in classical INSs. Ruggedised lasers and control electronics allow potential deployment in maritime navigation in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) denied environments. Considerations are made towards a pathway for modular expansion and development of the system to 6-axis operation.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 1339205 |
Journal | Proceedings of SPIE: The International Society for Optical Engineering |
Volume | 13392 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 9 Apr 2025 |
Event | SPIE Quantum West 2025 - San Francisco, United States Duration: 28 Jan 2025 → 29 Jan 2025 |
Funding
This work was supported by Innovate UK 10072054.
Keywords
- Atom interferometry
- Quantum navigation
- INS
- PNT
- Photonics
- Optics
- Laser cooling
- Quantum sensors