English

Photon chips help drones fly unobstructed in weak signal areas

1253
2023-10-28 09:58:39
See translation

With funding from the National Science Foundation of the United States, researchers at the University of Rochester are developing photonic chips that use quantum technology called "weak value amplification" to replace mechanical gyroscopes used in drones, enabling them to fly in areas where GPS signals are obstructed or unavailable.

Using this quantum technology, scientists aim to provide the same sensitivity level as large optical gyroscopes on small handheld photonic chips, which may alter the navigation of drones.

Jaime Cardenas, an associate professor at the Institute of Optics, has received a new National Science Foundation grant to develop this chip by 2026.

Cardenas stated that the fiber optic gyroscopes currently used on the most advanced drones include several kilometers of fiber optic spools or have limited dynamic range.

At present, the sensitivity and stability of gyroscopes must be fundamentally balanced between their size and weight. As unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, and satellites become smaller and more common, the demand for ultra compact navigation level gyroscopes will become crucial. The most advanced micro gyroscopes are compact and sturdy, but their performance is insufficient, which hinders their application in navigation.

According to Cardenas, weak amplification has more advantages than traditional methods because it can enhance the interference measurement signal without the cost of amplifying several forms of technical noise. But the previous weak amplification demonstration required complex laboratory settings and precise calibration; Cardenas is committed to achieving weak amplification on micro photonic chips using high-quality factor ring resonators.

Cardenas' collaborators in this project include physicist Andrew Jordan, who was a former faculty member at the University of Rochester and currently works at Chapman University. Cardenas stated that he will also collaborate with the David T. Kearns Leadership and Diversity Center at the university to expand the participation of underrepresented groups and stimulate their desire for STEM careers through research experience with high school students in the Rochester City school district.

Source: OFweek

Related Recommendations
  • Laser cleaning equipment manufacturer LPC receives multiple orders

    Recently, laser cleaning equipment manufacturer Laser Photonics Corporation (LPC) has disclosed multiple orders in a row.On December 26th, LPC received an order from Walsh Service Solutions to purchase a handheld laser cleaning equipment. It is understood that the manufacturer is purchasing CleanTech IR-3040, a high-performance handheld fiber laser cleaning device designed by LPC, mainly used for ...

    2024-12-31
    See translation
  • Researchers have discovered new multiphoton effects in quantum interference of light

    An international research team from Leibniz University in Hanover and Strathclyde University in Glasgow overturned the previous hypothesis about the influence of multiphoton components in the thermal field and the interference effect of parameterized single photons. The journal Physical Review Letters published the team's research."We have demonstrated through experiments that the interference eff...

    2024-01-24
    See translation
  • Fiber laser array for single pixel imaging is expected to achieve remote detection

    Single pixel imaging (SPI) is a novel computational imaging technique that has been widely studied in recent years. This technology only uses single pixel detectors without spatial resolution to obtain spatial information of targets.It has unique advantages and compensates for the shortcomings of traditional imaging technologies based on array detectors, such as relatively immature or expensive ar...

    2024-05-15
    See translation
  • Coherent's total fiscal 2023 revenue was $5.16 billion, with laser business accounting for 29 percent

    On August 16, Coherent, an American laser system solutions provider, announced its fiscal year 2023 and fourth quarter results for the year ended June 30, 2023. This is also the first annual report released after the merger of II-VI and Coherent.Fiscal year 2023 revenueCoherent reported revenue of $5.16 billion for the full fiscal year 2023, up 56% year over year.By business unit, the Networking b...

    2023-08-17
    See translation
  • Optimizing the phase focusing of laser accelerators

    With the help of on-chip accelerator technology, researchers at Stanford University are getting closer to manufacturing a miniature electron accelerator that can have various applications in industrial, medical, and physical research.Scientists have proven that silicon dielectric laser accelerators can now be used to accelerate and limit electrons, thereby producing concentrated high-energy electr...

    2024-02-29
    See translation