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IEEE International Symposium on Inertial Sensors and Systems (INERTIAL)

Progress towards the development of a cold-atom inertial measurement unit for onboard applications

Jeanne Bernard, Malo Cadoret, Yannick Bidel, Clément Salducci, Nassim Zahzam, Sylvain Schwartz, Alexis Bonnin, Cedric Blanchard, Alexandre Bresson

Published May 8, 2022• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper we present our progress towards the development of a complete cold-atom Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). Our goal is to have a single atomic sensor that will alternatively measure each inertial component (3 accelerations and 3 rotations). Every atomic measurement will be hybridized with a set of classical inertial sensors. Hybridization enables to combine the advantages of both technologies and to provide accurate continuous measurements with high dynamic range, in the scope of onboard inertial navigation compatibility.

DOI
10.1109/inertial53425.2022.9787521

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In this paper we present our progress towards the development of a complete cold-atom Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). Our goal is to have a single atomic sensor that will alternatively measure each inertial component (3 accelerations and 3 rotations). Every atomic measurement will be hybridized with a set of classical inertial sensors. Hybridization enables to combine the advantages of both technologies and to provide accurate continuous measurements with high dynamic range, in the scope of onboard inertial navigation compatibility.
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Positioning currently relies heavily on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Combined with classical accelerometers and gyroscopes, precise determination of orientation and position at any given time become available. However, but the availability of GNSS (e.g. GPS) is limited and not guaranteed at all times.In this paper we present an alternative based on atom interferometry using cold atom ensembles. An inertial sensor based on cold atoms allows, in theory, for nearly drift-free measurements of inertial forces with accuracies unreached by classical sensors, but the technology is still locked away in large physics laboratories [1].This paper introduces a compact device called SECAMP, which is capable of cooling atoms down to μ-Kelvin. SECAMP has the potential to measure inertial acceleration in three degrees of freedom. In the following, we present the current experimental setup of the apparatus and outline the next steps for the inertial sensor.
Abstract We present an alternative technique for estimating the response of a cold atom interferometer (CAI). Using data from a conventional inertial measurement unit (IMU) and common strapdown terminology, the position of the atom wave packet is tracked in a newly introduced sensor frame, enabling hybridization of both systems in terms of acceleration and angular rate measurements. The sensor frame allows for an easier mathematical description of the CAI measurement and integration into higher-level navigation systems. The dynamic terms resulting from the transformation of the IMU frame into the CAI sensor frame are evaluated in simulations. The implementation of the method as a prediction model in an extended Kalman filter is explained and demonstrated in realistic simulations, showing improvements of over two orders of magnitude with respect to the conventional IMU strapdown solution. Finally, the implications of these findings for future hybrid quantum navigation systems are discussed.
Quantum technology became a new tool for navigation based on measuring accelerations and rotations. However, the full potential of atom interferometers that operate with ultracold atoms has not yet been exploited. This paper presents current developments in the field of generation and application of Bose–Einstein condensates for inertial navigation. It covers the advancements in the form of atom chip and compact vacuum technology, classical sensor hybridization, and a multi-axis atom interferometry technique. In addition, the synergies of combining quantum sensors with classical inertial measurement units and their implications for navigation trajectories are discussed.
Accurate and stable measurement of inertial quantities is essential in geophysics, geodesy, fundamental physics, and inertial navigation. Here, we present an architecture for a compact cold-atom accelerometer-gyroscope based on a magnetically launched atom interferometer. Characterizing the launching technique, we demonstrate 700–parts per million gyroscope scale factor stability over 1 day, while acceleration and rotation rate bias stabilities of 7 × 10 −7 meters per second squared and 4 × 10 −7 radians per second are reached after 2 days of integration of the cold-atom sensor. Hybridizing it with a classical accelerometer and gyroscope, we correct their drift and bias to achieve respective 100-fold and 3-fold increase on the stability of the hybridized sensor compared to the classical ones. Compared to a state-of-the-art atomic gyroscope, the simplicity and scalability of our launching technique make this architecture easily extendable to a compact full six-axis inertial measurement unit, providing a pathway toward autonomous positioning and orientation using cold-atom sensors.