Summary: UCLA researchers in the Department of Physics have developed a scalable, multi-pixel quantum sensor capable of sensing vector signals, with utilities in various imaging modalities. Background: The sensor technology market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasing demands across various industries such as healthcare, automotive, and consumer electronics. Quantum sensing specifically is critical to maximizing high energy physics research capabilities. Existing technologies often struggle with limitations such as sensitivity, resolution, and scalability. Traditional sensors cannot always provide the high-resolution and dynamic range required by advanced applications like terahertz radiation medical imaging, an emerging application that has seen rapid expansion in recent years. Quantum modalities have drastically improved the sensitivity and spatial resolution of sensors; however, they are currently limited to scalar signals. There is a demonstrated need to develop novel quantum sensing modalities that can provide additional information on both magnitude and direction of incoming signals.
Innovation: UCLA researchers have developed a novel scalable, multi-pixel quantum sensor array. Unlike traditional systems, it leverages quantum mechanical properties of atoms or molecules, which can be neutral or charged. These elements are selected for their high sensitivity to specific signals, enabling precise detection of energy shifts or transitions between quantum states. Based on sensing needs, this platform can be easily modified to use entangled states to enhance sensitivity further, overcoming previous limitations and enabling the characterization of signals like electric or magnetic fields emanating from circuits. Additionally, this technology introduces the ability to sense vector signals or images, which is a considerable advancement over the scalar signal detection, which can only quantify signal intensity, offered by prior sensing technologies.
Potential Applications: • Medical imaging • Electronic device testing • Environmental Monitoring • Scientific research, i.e. measuring quantum state transitions • Security and surveillance • Terahertz radiation sensing
Advantages: • Increased sensitivity • Enhanced resolution • Scalability to three-dimensional arrays • Advanced signal detection • Operational versatility
State of Development: The efficacy of this invention has been demonstrated with in silico modeling.
Reference: UCLA Case No. 2024-080
Lead Inventor: David Leibrandt, UCLA Professor of Physics & Astronomy.