SBIR/STTR Award attributes
To reduce the size, weight, and complexity of the optical systems that support atom interferometry based sensors, Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI) will develop the Simplified Atom Interferometer Laser System (SAILS) that will be capable of generating two frequency referenced and phase coherent optical wavelengths. It will contain in hermetic packaging three high power, narrow linewidth lasers all referenced to a compact magnetically shielded rubidium vapor cell, with two fiber-coupled outputs, one for 2-photon atom interferometry (AI) and one for atom state preparation and detection. It will exhibit fast start-up, auto-locking, and agile frequency tuning for universal compatibility with AI architectures for strategic-grade inertial navigation, and low noise laser drive & lock circuits. In Phase I, PSI will develop a system-level model, identify key SWaP-driving components, and demonstrate a benchtop implementation of the SAILS architecture to quantify performance and feed into design of the miniature system. In the Phase I Option, a collaboration with laser vendors will increase the lifetime of the laser sources used within SAILS. In Phase II, PSI will produce a prototype SAILS unit that we will experimentally validate in an in-house atom-based sensing demonstration.
