DARPA funds research to boost sensors

A research team at the California Institute of Technology has engineered a new system that can be applied to sensors to deliver more precise measurements.

The Caltech researchers created “squeezed light,” which has fewer fluctuations at lower power levels than normal light. By generating squeezed light through a silicon microchip, it can be applied to a variety of sensor applications.

Typically, to counter fluctuations when trying to get a strong signal reading, the power of light is increased. This can, however, add excess heat and potentially damage the sensor. Squeezed light is the alternative solution to improved sensor readings, which can be tailored to a specific frequency.

Among the agencies funding the research was the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.