Abstract Quantum technology is approaching a level of maturity, recently demonstrated in space-borne experiments and in-field measurements, which would allow for adoption by non-specialist users. Parallel advancements made in microprocessor-based electronics and database software can be combined to create robust, versatile and modular experimental monitoring systems. Here, we describe a monitoring network used across a number of cold atom laboratories with a shared laser system. The ability to diagnose malfunction, unexpected or unintended behavior and passively collect data for key experimental parameters, such as vacuum chamber pressure, laser beam power, or resistances of important conductors, significantly reduces debugging time. This allows for efficient control over a number of experiments and remote control when access is limited.
Abstract Quantum technology is approaching a level of maturity, recently demonstrated in space-borne experiments and in-field measurements, which would allow for adoption by non-specialist users. Parallel advancements made in microprocessor-based electronics and database software can be combined to create robust, versatile and modular experimental monitoring systems. Here, we describe a monitoring network used across a number of cold atom laboratories with a shared laser system. The ability to diagnose malfunction, unexpected or unintended behavior and passively collect data for key experimental parameters, such as vacuum chamber pressure, laser beam power, or resistances of important conductors, significantly reduces debugging time. This allows for efficient control over a number of experiments and remote control when access is limited.
Quantum technology is approaching a level of maturity, recently demonstrated in space-borne experiments and in-field measurements, which would allow for adoption by non-specialist users. Parallel advancements made in microprocessor-based electronics and database software can be combined to create robust, versatile and modular experimental monitoring systems. Here, we describe a monitoring network used across a number of cold atom laboratories with a shared laser system. The ability to diagnose malfunction, unexpected or unintended behavior and passively collect data for key experimental parameters, such as vacuum chamber pressure, laser beam power, or resistances of important conductors, significantly reduces debugging time. This allows for efficient control over a number of experiments and remote control when access is limited.
Quantum technology is approaching a level of maturity, recently demonstrated in space-borne experiments and in-field measurements, which would allow for adoption by non-specialist users. Parallel advancements made in microprocessor-based electronics and database software can be combined to create robust, versatile and modular experimental monitoring systems. Here, we describe a monitoring network used across a number of cold atom laboratories with a shared laser system. The ability to diagnose malfunction, unexpected or unintended behaviour and passively collect data for key experimental parameters, such as vacuum chamber pressure, laser beam power, or resistances of important conductors, significantly reduces debugging time. This allows for efficient control over a number of experiments and remote control when access is limited.
As quantum networks move toward practical deployment, standardized performance monitoring becomes essential. This article proposes a structured monitoring framework for quantum networks with performance metrics, including quality (e.g., entanglement fidelity, QBER, loss, dark count rate), throughput and latency (e.g., entanglement rate, waiting time), timing (e.g., coincidence window, production and coincidence jitter), and exogenous factors (e.g., temperature, humidity, vibrations). These measurements enable real-time observability, benchmarking, and control, supporting use cases such as fault diagnosis, adaptive timing, and entanglement routing. Additionally, we implement a non-invasive prototype environmental monitoring system integrated with the quantum network infrastructure at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, demonstrating practical feasibility of live data collection and alert generation. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges of real-time monitoring and the trade-offs between observability and system performance. This work establishes a foundation for developing advanced quantum network monitoring systems and lays the groundwork for future autonomous control and quantum software-defined networking.
Quantum technology devices are approaching a level of maturity, which would allow for adoption by non-specialist users. The advancements made in microprocessor-based electronics and database software can be combined to create a flexible, efficient, and modular experimental monitoring system. We present an example of such a monitoring system where key experimental parameters such as vacuum pressure, laser beam powers and electrical currents across a network of cold atom laboratories are monitored. The ability to passively collect data and cross-diagnose issues reduces debugging time and allows for efficient control over several cold atom experiments. This level of control facilitates the progression of atomic physics experiments. In my talk, I will show how using such a monitoring system has led to the production of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) from home in one of our laboratories that did not have a BEC before.
This thesis details the advances made in the use of additive manufacturing to produce magnetic field generating devices and vacuum components for atomic quantum technologies. Cold atomic clouds are used across a suite of quantum sensors including magnetometers, gravimeters and navigational interferometers; as these sensors approach industrial use, they must be translated from laboratory systems to portable devices. The discussion focuses on a number of devices that demonstrate the benefits provided by this approach. Specifically, the devices discussed are a current carrying cylinder trapping device, an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber and a hollow-core coil mount device. This thesis also covers a range of auxiliary developments that have been made alongside the main body of work including a microprocessor-based control system and a pre-cooling stage for cold atom experiments. To begin this thesis reviews the underlying physical phenomena which are exploited when trapping neutral atoms. In particular, it is important to understand the details of the specific case when working with rubidium-87, including the relevant energy levels diagrams and corresponding laser frequencies. This allows for the discussion of the key forces that are used in magneto-optical trapping (MOT) and magnetic trapping including the origin of the magnetic fields generated by these devices using the Biot-Savart law. The key results that are presented in this thesis centre on the efficacy of these devices as atom traps for quantum technologies and atomic experiments. The atom trap cylinder is capable of trapping 108 rubidium atoms at a temperature of 20 µK, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach. The hollow coil mount device presents a viable route for magnetic trapping. Lastly, the UHV chamber operates in the range of 10-10 mbar as necessary for atomic physics experiments. In addition, this thesis reviews the design of a pre-cooling stage for complex atomic experiments and a simplified experimental control system. These are addressed in a systematic approach to the experimental constituents with a comparison between complex fundamental physics experiments and the developments made towards a portable quantum technology device.
Environmental monitoring is essential for comprehending and addressing the consequences of climate change and pollution on our world. Conventional approaches to environmental monitoring and item detection have demonstrated efficacy, but frequently encounter drawbacks in terms of precision, immediate data collection, and resource utilization. This study investigates the potential of quantum networks to transform environmental monitoring by improving item detection skills. We performed a series of experiments to assess the effectiveness of our Quantum Network methodology in comparison to two established methodologies, Existing Method A and Existing Method B. The quantum network exhibited a notable enhancement in the precision of object detection, with an astounding accuracy of 95.6% in real-time data acquisition for air quality, temperature, and humidity measurements. The performance of this method exceeded the accuracies produced by the existing methods, which were 87.4% and 92.1% respectively. Although current approaches have been extensively used and provide established solutions for environmental monitoring, our quantum network demonstrated distinct benefits. It enhanced the precision of object detection, allowing for more exact gathering of data on crucial environmental characteristics. Furthermore, our methodology facilitated data collection in real time, rendering it exceptionally well-suited for applications that necessitate prompt adaptation to fluctuating environmental circumstances. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize that adopting quantum technology brings about intricacy and resource demands. The promise of the quantum network is contingent upon additional refinement and optimization to properly tackle these difficulties.