CAREER: Solid-state quantum navigation and timekeeping

量子感测可以广义地描述为使用量子系统和现象来测量其环境的物理特性。使用原子和离子的量子传感器已经导致了最精确的时钟和惯性力（如加速度和旋转）的测量，这使得它们在导航系统中的潜在用途具有吸引力。然而，制备和测量原子和离子所需的硬件往往又大又复杂，这使得将这些传感器集成并在现实环境中保持高性能变得具有挑战性。该项目将开发基于固态量子系统的替代导航工具，它可以规避集成和集成原子传感器的一些困难。鉴于全球定位系统（GPS）的局限性，它可能容易受到信号阻塞和干扰，这些小型化和精确的量子传感器有可能提高平民在具有挑战性的地形中行驶时的安全性，并使自动驾驶汽车更安全，更可靠。该项目的技术发展将与教育和推广活动一起进行，重点是量子和光学科学，电气工程和材料科学领域的本科生和研究生的多学科培训，以及扩大学生在量子研究中的不同背景的参与。这些活动将包括引入新的量子传感本科课程和开发高中教育的课堂实验室套件。该项目旨在通过三个研究方向，使用第IV组材料中的量子发射器实现紧凑，可部署和自主的导航和计时系统：（1）利用金刚石色心进行磁导航的宽带和稳定矢量磁力测量工程，通过与利用伴随优化设计的光子器件集成来提高灵敏度，以及通过进行互补特性的同时测量来隔离感兴趣的矢量磁场。(2)演示基于固态自旋的加速度计和陀螺仪，重点是提高自旋缺陷的稳定性和量子相干性，并实施组合算法，以实时消除影响惯性信号的不希望的背景（非惯性）扰动。(3)探索碳化硅中磁不敏感的电子跃迁用于计时，最终目标是实现实用且小型化的固态量子时钟，其性能上级晶体振荡器。该项目将利用硅材料加工和器件制造技术来产生高质量的量子缺陷，并将早期项目开发的联合收割机技术用于稳定时钟信号。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Quantum sensing can be broadly described as the use of quantum systems and phenomena to measure the physical properties of their environment. Quantum sensors using atoms and ions have led to the most precise clocks and measurements of inertial forces such as acceleration and rotation, which make them attractive for their potential use in navigation systems. However, the hardware needed to prepare and measure atoms and ions tend to be big and complex, making it challenging to miniaturize these sensors as well as maintain high performance in real-world settings. This project will develop alternative navigation tools based on solid-state quantum systems, which can circumvent some of the difficulties in integrating and miniaturizing atom-based sensors. Given the limitations of the Global Positioning System (GPS), which can be vulnerable to signal obstruction and interference, these miniaturized and accurate quantum sensors have the potential to improve the safety of civilians when traveling in challenging terrains and make autonomous vehicles safer and more reliable. The technical developments in the project will be conducted alongside education and outreach activities that focus on multidisciplinary training of undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of quantum and optical science, electrical engineering, and materials science, as well as broadening participation of students form diverse backgrounds in quantum research. These activities will include introduction of new undergraduate courses on quantum sensing and development of classroom lab kits for high-school education.This project aim to realize compact, deployable, and self-reliant navigation and timekeeping systems using quantum emitters in Group IV materials through three research thrusts: (1) Engineering of broadband and stable vector magnetometry using color centers in diamond for magnetic navigation, by enhancing sensitivity through integration with photonic devices designed with adjoint optimization and by conducting simultaneous measurements of complementary properties to isolate the vector magnetic field of interest. (2) Demonstration of accelerometers and gyroscopes based on solid-state spins, with emphasis on improving the stability and quantum coherence of spin defects and implementing combinatorial algorithms that enable real-time cancellation of undesired background (non-inertial) perturbations that affect the inertial signal. (3) Exploration of magnetically insensitive electron transitions in silicon carbide for timing, with the ultimate goal of realizing practical and miniaturized solid-state quantum clocks with superior performance to crystal oscillators. This thrust will leverage materials processing and device fabrication technologies in silicon to generate high-quality quantum defects, as well as combine techniques developed from earlier thrusts to stabilize the clock signal.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.