Quantum Valley Ideas Laboratories

Waveryde Instruments Inc.

James P Shaffer

Hadi Amarloo

Jaime Ramirez-Serrano

Kent Arnold Nickerson

Chang Liu

Stephanie M Bohaichuk

Jennifer Ann Joe Erskine

Donald Booth

Rajesh Pandiyan

Geoffrey Gordon Gillett

Mohammad Noaman

Somayeh M A Mirzaee

James Keaveney

Vijin Venu

Su-Peng Yu

Reza Majidi-Ahy

Harald Kubler

Mark Pecen

Harald Kübler

Sanyasi Bobbara

Somayeh MAMirzaee

Ching Tai

Florian Christaller

Mojtaba Hajialamdari

Matthias Schmidt

Pinrui Shen

Katelyn Dixon

Jennifer Ann Erskine

Chang Lui

In a general aspect, a radar method includes transmitting an outgoing series of RF pulses toward a target region. The radar method also includes receiving an incoming series of RF pulses that is based on the outgoing series of RF pulses after passing through the target region. The radar method additionally includes producing, by operation of a vapor cell system, output signals that are based on incoming series of RF pulses and the laser signals interacting with a vapor of the vapor cell system. The radar method also includes operations of a signal processing system, such as generating response data, determining a Doppler shift, and determining a velocity of an object in the target region. The response data includes transient response data that represents transient responses of a vapor in the vapor cell system to respective phase changes in the incoming series of RF pulses.

Methods for sensing doppler shifts

In a general aspect, a quantum spectrum sensing system is presented. In some implementations, a quantum spectrum sensing system includes a laser system, a vapor cell sensor, and an optical detector. The laser system includes first and second lasers configured to generate a first and second laser signals. The laser system also includes first and second comb generators configured to produce first and second frequency comb signals based on the first and second laser signals, respectively. The laser system includes a frequency separator that can select frequency components of the second frequency comb signal and a frequency shifter that can shift the selected frequency components toward Rydberg states of a vapor. The vapor cell sensor can receive input optical signals from the laser system and produce output optical signals based on interactions of the vapor with the input optical signals. The optical detector can detect the output optical signals.

Quantum spectrum sensing systems

In a general aspect, a system is described herein for detecting the phase properties of a radio frequency (RF) wave. The system includes a vapor cell sensor that contains a vapor and is configured to generate an optical signal in response to laser signals that interact with the vapor. The vapor has a Rydberg electronic transition that interacts with a target RF electromagnetic field, and the optical signal is based on a transmission of one of the laser signals through the vapor. The system also includes an optical detection system and a signal processing system. The optical detection system is configured to generate a detector signal in response to receiving the optical signal, and the signal processing system is configured to receive the detector signal and perform operations that determine a phase change of the target RF electromagnetic field.

Detecting phase properties of radio frequency waves

In a general aspect, a method is described herein for detecting the phase properties of a radio frequency (RF) wave. The method includes generating an optical signal by interacting laser signals with a vapor of a vapor cell sensor. The optical signal is based on a transmission of one of the laser signals through the vapor. The method also includes altering an intensity of the optical signal by interacting a target RF electromagnetic field with a Rydberg electronic transition of the vapor. The target RF electromagnetic field includes a time series of RF pulses. The method additionally includes determining, by operation of a signal processing system, a magnitude of phase change in the time series of RF pulses. In some implementations, the method includes determining a phase of a target RF pulse in the times series of RF pulses.

In a general aspect, a system is described for sensing radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. The system includes a laser system that generates probe and coupling laser signals. The system also includes an RF source that generates a reference RF electromagnetic field. The reference RF electromagnetic field is part of a combined RF electromagnetic field that also includes a perturbing RF electromagnetic field. A vapor cell sensor of the system generates an optical signal in response to the probe laser signal, the coupling laser signal, and the combined RF electromagnetic field interacting with a vapor of the vapor cell sensor. The system additionally includes a control system that tunes the coupling laser signal and the reference RF electromagnetic field relative to respective transitions of the vapor. The control system generates, based on the optical signal, a value that represents a property of the perturbing RF electromagnetic field.

Sensing radio frequency electromagnetic fields

In a general aspect, a radiometer is disclosed that includes a vapor cell sensor. The vapor cell sensor contains a vapor and is configured to generate an optical signal in response to laser signals and thermal radiation interacting with the vapor. The vapor includes a Rydberg electronic transition that is configured to interact with the thermal radiation. The radiometer also includes a computing system having one or more processors and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to perform operations that include generating, based on the optical signal, transmission data that represents the transmission of the one laser signal through the vapor. The operations also include determining, based on the transmission data, a temperature of a target body that generates the thermal radiation.

Measuring thermal radiation using vapor cell sensors

In a general aspect, vapor cell sensors are used to perform over-the-air (OTA) testing of cellular base stations. In some implementations, a vapor cell sensor including a vapor having Rydberg states is tuned to a carrier frequency of RF radiation emitted from a cellular base station. A first set of optical signals is generated based on an interaction between the vapor and a synchronization signal transmitted from the cellular base station. The vapor cell sensor is tuned to a harmonic of the carrier frequency. A second set of optical signals is generated based on an interaction between the vapor and the RF radiation. The first and second sets of optical signals are converted to digital data. The digital data is processed to detect a condition of the cellular base station.

Using vapor cell sensors to perform over-the-air testing of cellular base stations

In a general aspect, vapor cell sensors are used to perform OTA testing of cellular base stations. In some implementations, a system for performing OTA testing of a cellular base station includes a vapor cell sensor including a vapor having Rydberg states and a control system communicably coupled to the vapor cell sensor and configured to tune the vapor cell sensor to a carrier frequency of RF radiation emitted from the cellular base station; receive a first set of optical signals generated based on an interaction between the vapor and a synchronization signal; tune the vapor cell sensor to a harmonic of the carrier frequency; receive a second set of optical signals generated by the vapor cell based on an interaction between the vapor and the RF radiation; convert the first and second sets of optical signals to digital data; and process the digital data to detect a condition of the cellular base station.

In a general aspect, a radio frequency (RF) measurement device includes first and second mode converters, each configured to convert a mode of the RF electromagnetic wave between a first RF waveguide mode and a second RF waveguide mode. The RF measurement device also includes an internal cavity between the first and second mode converters that contains a vapor or a source of the vapor. The vapor includes Ryberg atoms or molecules. The RF measurement device additionally includes an RF waveguide extending between the first and second mode converters and configured to carry the second RF waveguide mode through the internal cavity. In some variations, the RF waveguide includes first and second longitudinal portions disposed on respective, opposite sides of the device and configured to establish a target RF profile in an interaction region of the internal cavity.

Measuring radio frequency electromagnetic waves using Rydberg electrometry

In a general aspect, a system for measuring radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves includes a laser system configured to generate plurality of input optical signals. The system also includes an RF measurement device having first and second mode converters and an internal cavity therebetween. The internal cavity contains a vapor that is configured to produce an output optical signal based on the plurality of input optical signals. The RF measurement device also includes an RF waveguide that extends between the first and second mode converters and is configured to carry the second RF waveguide mode through the internal cavity. The system also includes an optical detector system configured to generate a detector signal in response to receiving the output optical signal. The system additionally includes a signal processing system configured to generate data in response to receiving the detector signal.

Measuring radio frequency electromagnetic waves with an in-line measurement device

In a general aspect, a radio frequency (RF) measurement device includes first and second mode converters, each configured to convert a mode of the RF electromagnetic wave between a first RF waveguide mode and a second RF waveguide mode. The RF measurement device also includes an internal cavity between the first and second mode converters that contains a vapor or a source of the vapor. The vapor includes Ryberg atoms or molecules. The RF measurement device additionally includes an RF waveguide extending between the first and second mode converters and configured to establish a circular polarization of the RF electromagnetic wave in the internal cavity.

Measuring radio frequency electromagnetic waves using circular polarization

In a general aspect, a vapor cell includes a body defined by a stack of layers that includes electrically conductive layers and electrically insulating layers. The stack of layers are bonded to each other and have first and second end layers at respective opposite ends of the body. The stack of layers also has intermediate layers between the first and second end layers that define an internal cavity of the body. The internal cavity extends through the body between the first and second end layers and includes a vapor or a source of the vapor disposed therein. Adjacent electrically conductive layers are separated by at least one electrically insulating layer. Moreover, each electrically conductive layer defines an electrode of the vapor cell and includes a contact surface on an exterior side of the body. The contact surface defines an electrical contact of the electrode.

Controlling electric fields in vapor cells having a body defined by a stack of layers

In a general aspect, a method includes interacting a beam of light with a vapor in a vapor cell. The vapor cell includes a body defined by a stack of layers that includes electrically conductive layers and electrically insulating layers. The stack of layers are bonded to each other and have first and second end layers at respective opposite ends of the body. The stack of layers also has intermediate layers between the first and second end layers that define an internal cavity of the body. A vapor is disposed in the internal cavity. The method includes applying respective voltages to one or more electrodes to alter an electric field in the internal cavity. The method also includes measuring one or both of an ion signal based on charged particles in the vapor and an optical property of the beam of light after interacting with the vapor.

Controlling electric fields in vapor cells

In a general aspect, a system for sensing pulses of radio frequency (RF) fields includes a laser system and a vapor cell sensor. The laser system is configured to generate beams of light that include a probe beam of light. The vapor cell sensor has a vapor therein and is configured to allow the beams of light to pass through the vapor. The system also includes an optical detector configured to generate a detector signal based on the probe beam of light. The system includes a signal processing system configured to perform operations that include receiving the detector signal from the optical detector over a time period. The operations also include generating a digital signal based on the detector signal and applying a matched filter to the digital signal to generate a filtered signal. The filtered signal is processed to determine properties of an RF field experienced by the vapor.

Sensing pulses of radio frequency fields

In a general aspect, radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation can be detected using vapor cell sensors. In some aspects, a system includes a laser system that is configured to generate laser signals that comprise first and second laser signals. The system also includes an optical comb generator and a vapor cell sensor. The optical comb generator is configured to generate a comb spectrum based on the first laser signal. The comb spectrum includes comb lines at respective comb frequencies. The vapor cell sensor contains a vapor and is configured to generate an optical spectrum based on interactions of the vapor with the comb spectrum and the second laser signal. The system also includes an optical detector that is configured to detect the property of the optical spectrum at one or more of the comb frequencies.

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Kitchener, Canada

James P Shaffer