Quantum Technology for Precise Signal Measurement

Exploring the Quantum Frontier for 6G! Our latest work, "Harnessing Rydberg Atomic Receivers: From Quantum Physics to Wireless Communications", co-authored with Yuanbin Chen, Xufeng Guo, Chau Yuen, Yufei Zhao, Yong Liang Guan, Chong Meng Samson See, and Lajos Hanzo looks at the exciting integration of Rydberg atomic receivers into wireless communication systems. By leveraging principles of quantum mechanics, these receivers open unprecedented possibilities for ultra-sensitive signal detection and transformative applications in 6G networks. Superior Sensitivity: A staggering 44 dB SNR gain over conventional RF receivers. Extended Coverage: Up to 150 times range extension at extremely low power levels. Quantum-Driven Efficiency: Support for higher-order QAM with reduced error rates, reshaping how we envision low-power, high-performance wireless networks. The implications for 6G are immense—quantum technologies like Rydberg atomic receivers could redefine coverage, efficiency, and precision in wireless communication. More on the paper can be found here:

Quantum Engineers Enhance Gas Sensors with “Squeezed” Laser Frequency Combs Breakthrough in Quantum Sensing For the first time, researchers have applied “quantum squeezing” to optical frequency comb lasers, significantly enhancing their gas-sensing capabilities. These lasers, often described as “fingerprint scanners” for molecules, can precisely detect gases such as methane leaks from oil and gas operations or biomarkers for COVID-19 in human breath. The new technique doubles the speed and sensitivity of these detectors, potentially transforming applications in environmental monitoring and health diagnostics. Quantum Squeezing Explained Quantum squeezing manipulates the quantum noise of laser light, reducing uncertainty in one property while increasing it in another. This improved precision allows optical frequency combs to detect trace gases faster and with greater sensitivity. “Squeezed” light enhances the performance of sensors by making them more responsive to minute molecular signals, which is particularly valuable in scenarios where rapid detection is critical. Applications and Impact The enhanced gas sensors could be life-saving in situations like detecting dangerous gas leaks in industrial settings. “Requiring only 10 minutes versus 20 minutes can make a big difference in keeping people safe,” explained Scott Diddams, professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. The faster detection capability could also improve real-time environmental monitoring and early disease diagnosis. Collaborative Effort and Findings The research, a collaboration between Scott Diddams’ team at CU Boulder and Jérôme Genest at Université Laval in Canada, was published on January 16 in Science. The team demonstrated how quantum squeezing could make optical frequency combs not only faster but also more efficient in measuring gases with ultra-high precision. Daniel Herman, a postdoctoral researcher, highlighted how this innovation sets the stage for future advancements in quantum-enhanced sensing technologies. Conclusion By leveraging quantum squeezing, researchers have paved the way for next-generation gas sensors that are faster, more sensitive, and capable of detecting even trace amounts of gases. This advancement has significant implications for industrial safety, environmental protection, and medical diagnostics, showcasing the transformative potential of quantum technologies in everyday applications.

ASML makes some of the most complex machines humans have ever built. Their extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems—used to print the most advanced microchips—are a synthesis of precision optics, nanometer-scale positioning, and ultrahigh vacuum engineering. Each EUV machine is so intricate and massive that shipping one involves four Boeing 747 freighters, each carrying modularized components that will later be reassembled on-site over several months. This level of technical choreography makes a fascinating company to watch. One way to track their strategic direction is through their patent filings, which often reveal the bleeding edge of where advanced manufacturing is heading. A recent example filed by ASML and automatically tracked on the The Quantum Insider platform offers a clear signal of where things are going. The patent (EP4589629A2) describes an assessment apparatus for semiconductor inspection that embeds quantum sensors—specifically nitrogen-vacancy (NV) diamond sensors and atomic vapor cells—within the electron-optical systems of scanning electron microscopes . In practical terms, these sensors are being used to measure local electromagnetic fields in real time inside the lithography tool. That’s critical: slight distortions in these fields can alter the trajectory of the electron beam used for defect inspection or metrology, compromising accuracy. By integrating quantum sensors—known for their high sensitivity and immunity to 1/f noise—ASML can dynamically detect and correct for these fluctuations, either during operation (feedback mode), in between scans (feedforward mode), or via post-processing to clean up the final image . So while most people still associate quantum tech with computing or cryptography, its real-world impact is already emerging in semiconductor yield enhancement, quietly embedded inside machines that build the digital future.

Since the 1950s, scientists have used radio waves to uncover the molecular "fingerprints" of unknown materials, aiding in tasks as varied as scanning the human body with MRI machines and detecting explosives at airports. These methods, however, rely on signals averaged from trillions of atoms, making it impossible to detect tiny variations between individual molecules. Such limitations hinder applications in fields like protein research, where small differences in shape control functionality and can determine the difference between health and disease. Now, engineers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science (Penn Engineering) have utilized quantum sensors to realize a groundbreaking variation of nuclear quadrupolar resonance (NQR) spectroscopy, a technique traditionally used to detect drugs and explosives or analyze pharmaceuticals. Described in Nano Letters, the new method is so precise that it can detect the NQR signals from individual atoms—a feat once thought unattainable. This unprecedented sensitivity opens the door to breakthroughs in fields like drug development, where understanding molecular interactions at the atomic level is critical. “This technique allows us to isolate individual nuclei and reveal tiny differences in what were thought to be identical molecules," says Lee Bassett, Associate Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE), Director of Penn's Quantum Engineering Laboratory (QEL) and the paper's senior author. "By focusing on a single nucleus, we can uncover details about molecular structure and dynamics that were previously hidden. This capability allows us to study the building blocks of the natural world at an entirely new scale." The discovery stemmed from an unexpected observation during routine experiments. Alex Breitweiser, a recent doctoral graduate in Physics from Penn's School of Arts & Sciences and the paper's co-first author, who is now a researcher at IBM, was working with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamonds—atomic-scale defects often used in quantum sensing—when he noticed unusual patterns in the data. The periodic signals looked like an experimental artifact, but persisted after extensive troubleshooting. Returning to textbooks from the 1950s and '60s on nuclear magnetic resonance, Breitweiser identified a physical mechanism that explained what they were seeing, but that had previously been dismissed as experimentally insignificant. https://lnkd.in/gBDFQX8k #quantum #sensing #atomic #analysis #measurement #nuclear #spectroscopy #resonance #unexpected

Fresh paper from our team at the Centre of New Technologies University of Warsaw (Uniwersytet Warszawski)! In https://lnkd.in/dyNZasXr we show for the first time a metrology of a terahertz frequency comb using Rydberg atoms. This new combination opens new avenues for both terahertz science and Rydberg sensors. Frequency combs indeed are a workhorse of modern quantum metrology. The terahertz domain has so far lacked detectors that are sensitive enough to execute protocols from the optical domain. With Rydberg atoms and their versatile tuning, we have finally overcome this obstacle! We're particularly excited for prospective applications in THz-comb spectroscopy - a critical tool in material development and chemistry. FNP Foundation for Polish Science NCN Narodowe Centrum Nauki https://www.qodl.eu/ https://lnkd.in/g3MZXc5A