CARAMELS

Thanks to their large magnetic dipoles, Rydberg atoms can be used as highly sensitive quantum sensors of electromagnetic fields. Compared with conventional sensors, they offer the prospect of a purely dielectric sensor head, the ability to self-calibrate by tying measurements to the intrinsic properties of atoms, broad tunability between MHz and THz, and a sensor size independent of the wavelength of the field to be measured.

The aim is to push the limits of existing Rydberg sensors beyond the state of the art, not only in terms of sensitivity but also for other important characteristics such as bandwidth, long-term stability, spatial and frequency resolution, integrability and self-calibration. The CARAMELS project is built on a global approach, addressing several aspects from the most applied (to accelerate the technological maturity of existing sensors and enable new applications in the field of radar and broadband radio frequency detection) to the most fundamental and prospective (to push back the limits of these sensors and pave the way for new scientific and technological applications).

The ambition of CARAMELS is to make France a leader in the field of Rydberg atom sensors by the end of the project, to pave the way for new scientific and industrial applications, and to accelerate the development of this technology for the benefit of the French industry.