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 high-power, narrow-linewidth lasers in hermetic packaging all referenced to an atomic transition. The package features two fiber-coupled outputs, one atom interferometry (AI) based on 2-photon Raman transitions and one for atom trapping, 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. The Phase II technical effort will produce and deliver one (1) prototype phase-locked laser system capable of generating the optical frequencies required to trap a cold cloud of rubidium atoms and run an atom interferometer (AI) pulse sequence. Prior to delivery, the prototype will be evaluated in-house in a two-pulse atom interferometer sequence to measure the output phase coherence directly without convolution with inertial effects.
