Grants and Contributions

To support the development and future commercialization of quantum computing-based applications within the defence sector.

Despite their unmatched precision, modern laboratory optical clocks like the strontium lattice clock are unlikely to become portable in the near future. Many important applications, e.g., radar, communications, and navigation, require fieldable devices with volumes of <50 liters and fractional frequency instabilities that are ≤ 10-13 /√τ. √τ is the square root of the integration time, i.e., clocks with 1s instabilities of around 10-13. For modern technological needs, compact portable optical clocks are the best candidates for low frequency instability, but current models, which achieve 10⁻¹³/√τ performance, are costly, not available for general purchase, and have no Canadian vendors. Currently, QVIL is developing a two-photon Cesium (Cs) optical clock for stabilization of a gravimeter. The current setup has demonstrated an instability of < 5 x 10-13/ √τ after around one year of work. The Project seeks to take the promising results obtained so far on the Cs two-photon clock and develop a portable, two-photon Cs optical clock to replace active Hydrogen masers. QVIL’s product will be improved to surpass the maser's accuracy. The Project team focuses on accelerating the design for a vapor cell capable of collecting the maximum amount of fluorescence, increasing the signal-to-noise of the optical frequency reference which is inversely proportional to the instability of the clock. Improving the signal-to-noise allows laser power to be reduced which decreases Stark shifts, a major limitation of current optical clocks. The Project team works to accelerate the integration of proprietary Kerr frequency combs, for converting the optical frequency to countable radio frequencies, with the optical frequency reference. The Project develops a plan for improvements in size, weight power and cost (SWaP-C) reduction of the clock. Post-project, QVIL will launch a spin-off to manufacture the Cs optical clock in Canada, establish a precision timing company for diverse applications, and pursue follow-on projects to shrink the device to chip scale.

The main objective of the project is to develop Rydberg atom-based radio frequency (RF) sensors for applications in space. The initial studies show that Rydberg atom-based sensors are poised to outperform classical technology in almost all relevant metrics. The project team will perform feasibility checks, do a performance analysis, propose a high-level instrument architecture, survey requirements and carry-out proof-of-concept experiments to evaluate Rydberg atom-based sensors for spaceborne radar during the program period.

The objective of the Project is to move Rydberg atom-based electric field sensing towards becoming a primary standard for radio frequency (RF) power in the MHz-THz frequency range. The Project will consist of three main components. First, QVIL and NRC will investigate three different electric field probes that QVIL has designed for metrology applications. These electric field probes reduce scattering and increase the uniformity of the measured electric fields inside of the vapour cell sensor. Secondly, the Project team will make precision measurements of the transition dipole moments between Rydberg states of Cs from n~35-150, where n is the principal quantum number. These measurements will improve the accuracy
by over an order of magnitude. Thirdly, the researchers will carry out a precision measurement where Rydberg atom-based metrology probes are tested against calibrated antennas and calorimeters. Since the accuracy of the Rydberg atom-based sensors is superior to conventional standards, the vapour cell probes will be compared to each other as well.

The Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDF) Program provides support to a core of the most promising researchers at a pivotal time in their careers. The fellowships are also intended to secure a supply of highly qualified Canadians with leading-edge scientific and research skills for Canadian industry, government, and universities.

Ideas Lab's exclusive endeavour is application focused research and development projects toward the development of new quantum technologies that will be the basis for new products and new businesses.