At the University of Birmingham our research leads to new inventions and fuels innovation and business growth.
Quantum sensors and metrology using atoms and ions has been established by more than two decades of laboratory research. Sensitivities beating classical technologies have been demonstrated in measurements of gravity, gravity gradients, magnetic fields, rotation, me, and in quantum imaging.
In recent years, there have been many new ideas and promising proof-of-principle demonstrations including: the realisation of large momentum beamsplitiers that offer two or more orders of magnitude sensitivity enhancement; the invention of phase-shear atom interferometry to enable simultaneous measurements of gravity/acceleration and rotation in multiple axes; progress on high-bandwidth atom interferometers; adiabatic rf potentials for smooth guiding geometries; the development of grating reflectors to allow single-beam trapping; and the invention of compact atom sources promising smaller, more robust, sensors.
In addition there have been recent breakthroughs in controlling photon distribution in laser beams, the so-called multimode entanglement, which promises noise reduction in both imaging and optical position measurements.
The Hub aims to convert the next generation of quantum technologies from laboratory science into innovative and marketable products that are able to deliver long-term societal benefits.
