Abstract

Quantum sensing – one of the three main categories of quantum technologies – refers to applications of quantum mechanics principles to devices measuring time, motion, and electrical/magnetic fields, among other physical properties. In simple terms, quantum sensors are able to make more accurate and sensitive measurements than existing “classical” ones. Compared to quantum communication and quantum computing, quantum sensing is also more mature as a technology area, and has been applied in real-world use cases for some time. For example, atomic clocks – which have been in commercial use since the 1950s – are a critical technology underpinning today’s widely used satellite-based navigation systems such as GPS. A key question that will be discussed in this roundtable is where this already mature technology area will yield disruptive applications that will shape possibilities for future warfare.

Speakers

Murray Barrett is a New Zealand-born physicist. He received his undergraduate degree from Otago University in New Zealand, and his PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. His historical background in ion trap quantum computing started at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado where he carried out the first demonstration of quantum teleportation with atoms. His work in Singapore has included cavity quantum electrodynamics, precision measurements, and optical atomic clocks. He is currently working with the National University of Singapore, the Centre for Quantum Technologies, and the National Metrology Centre to establish the practical application of optical clock technology in Singapore.

Ravi Kumar is co-founder and chief technology officer at Atomionics Pte. Ltd., Singapore. He received his master’s degree in photonics from the Center of Excellence in Lasers and Optoelectronic Sciences (Cochin, India) in 2011, and PhD in physics from the University College Cork (Ireland) in 2016. He then came to Singapore as a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore. His PhD and post-doctoral research focused on quantum technologies with cold atoms, where he built systems for cooling and trapping atoms, and studied multiple phenomena such as electromagnetically-induced transparency in atomic samples, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and quantum memory. In 2018, he started Atomionics to build quantum sensors for field applications. He has been leading the development of a cold atom gravimeter named Gravio, which works on the principle of atom interferometry with laser-cooled atoms. Gravio was used to conduct a gravity survey in Australia over 20sq km last year, marking a historic milestone as the first commercial deployment of a quantum gravimeter at such a scale, and showcasing Atomionics’ commitment to advancing quantum technology for practical use.