World First! U.S. Army Demonstrates Long-Range Radio Communication Enabled by Atomic Quantum Sensors

Rydberg Technologies, a global leader in Rydberg quantum technology and a pioneer in radio frequency (RF) quantum sensing, announced that at the recent U.S. Army Development of Warfighting Capabilities Command (DEVCOM) C5ISR Center Network Modernization Experiment 2023 (NetModX23) event, the company unveiled a low size, low weight, low power (SWaP) atomic receiver and successfully demonstrated the world's first long-range radio communications using atomic quantum sensors at the event, which serves as a proving ground for next-generation communications and intelligence technologies.

What is a quantum sensor? A quantum sensor is a receiver or antenna that is far more sensitive to very small changes in the electromagnetic field and consumes very little energy.

What makes them so sensitive? As Dave Anderson, CEO of Rydberg Technologies, explains in his 2018 paper, the key lies in the Rydberg atoms, which are cesium atoms with extremely excited electrons, giving them high quantum numbers that reflect the large distance between the electrons and the nucleus. This distance makes the atom very responsive to subtle changes in the electromagnetic field. In turn, this response can be utilized to detect radio waves in a way that is not possible with ordinary antennas.

Such sensors could be used for a variety of purposes, such as detecting more wavelengths than conventional antennas and being less sensitive to electromagnetic interference.

This is an important military concern for the Pentagon as it looks to the future, as future adversaries will have extremely effective electromagnetic warfare capabilities. Quantum sensors could allow troops to detect otherwise hard-to-detect drones or soldiers carrying high-tech communications equipment, or even encrypted devices - though it wouldn't decrypt the communications themselves.

It can also help troops find new pockets within the spectrum to communicate between drones, jets, ships, satellites and soldiers, even in the face of severe electromagnetic interference.

"The ARx (Atomic Antenna Receiver) demonstrates RF signal reception and radio communication at a distance of over 1 kilometer. This is neither a practical nor a fundamental limitation. This is the first demonstration of this technology for long-distance signal transmission." Anderson said further miniaturization and hardening of these systems is needed for widespread deployment.

"The next steps in research and experimentation include the fundamental ability to push atoms and light, and we are still far from the fundamental quantum limit."

This time, the development of the Reedburg Atomic Receiver was supported by the National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) grant program under the Department of Defense Innovation. This support underscores the strategic importance of advancing quantum technology in both the national security and commercial arenas.

[3]https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/676562237/rydberg-technologies-demonstrates-world-s-first-long-range-atomic-rf-communication-with-quantum-sensor