Radar systems and methods using entangled quantum particles

• US 20070296953A1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Karageorgis, Markos, Allen, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,375,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/02 Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves G01S17/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/41 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section

Abstract

An entangled quantum particle generator generates a signal including a plurality of entangled particles. The wavelength of the signal is the sum of the wavelengths of the entangled particles. A signal processor determines a characteristic of the target based on information derived from at least some of the entangled particles in the return signal. The frequency of the signal is selected to propagate the signal through a medium and the frequencies of the entangled particles are selected to provide sufficient data in the return signal to resolve the characteristic of the target.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

an entangled quantum particle generator operable to generate a signal including a plurality of entangled photons, wherein the wavelength of the signal is the sum of the wavelengths of the plurality of entangled photons;

a photon detector configured to detect a return signal based on the signal being reflected by a target; and

an attribute-specific detection device configured to determine a characteristic of the target based on information derived from at least one of the plurality of entangled particles in the return signal, wherein the frequency of the signal is selected to propagate the signal through a medium and the frequencies of the plurality of entangled photons are selected to provide sufficient data in the return signal to resolve the characteristic of the target.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the target includes at least one of the group consisting of:

location, speed, direction of travel, distance to target, target image, target size, target area, target volume, target dimension(s), target cross-section, target surface roughness, and target material composition.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the entangled quantum particle generator is operable to vary the frequencies of the plurality of entangled particles.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the entangled quantum particle generator utilizes at least one of the group consisting of:

quantum dots, Bose-Einstein condensates, and an atom cavity, to generate the entangled particles.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the entangled quantum particle generator is operable to vary the number of the plurality of entangled particles included in the signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a downconverter operable to increase the number of photons in the signal, thereby decreasing the frequency of the entangled photons.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal quality processor configured to receive a signal representing the return signal and to remove noise from the return signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the downconverter includes an amplifier configured to increase the number of entangled photons and decrease the frequency of the plurality of the photons.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a positioning system operable to steer an antenna to radiate the signal in a desired direction and/or to detect the return signal from a desired direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a duplexer configured to switch operation between transmitting the signal and receiving the return signal

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal/data processor is operable to determine distance to the target based the time the signal is emitted and the return signal is detected.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a beam splitter configured to separate at least one photon from the return signal and provide the at least one photon to the attribute-specific detection device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detector operable to detect at least one of the entangled particles in the return signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of attribute-specific detection devices and a series of beam splitters, wherein the beam splitters are configured to separate at least one photon from the return signal and provide the at least one photon to a corresponding one of the attribute-specific detection devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attribute-specific detection device includes at least one of the group consisting of:

a polarizing filter, a spin detection device, a interferometer; and

a spectrometer.

16. A method comprising:

generating a plurality of entangled photons;

transmitting the entangled photons in a radio-frequency signal, wherein the frequency of the signal is selected to propagate through a particular medium and the number of the entangled photons is determined by the selected frequency of the signal; and

detecting at least a portion of the entangled photons reflected by a target.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

selecting the frequency of the transmitted entangled photons to optimize target resolution achievable by detecting the entangled photons reflected by the target.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

selecting an attribute of the photons to be entangled based on a characteristic of the target to be detected.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a characteristic of the target based on interaction between the target and the entangled photons.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

compensating the information available from one of the entangled photons based on the difference in time between the one of the entangled photons and another of the entangled photons.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating a plurality of entangled photons; and

means for transmitting the entangled photons in a radio-frequency signal, wherein the frequency of the photons is selected based on the target to be detected and the number of entangled photons is based on the medium through which the entangled photons will propagate.