The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI)
Quantum sensors use the sensitivity of quantum states to measure time, magnetic fields, gravity, acceleration and rotation with high precision. Atomic clocks already underpin navigation and networks; newer sensors could support navigation without satellites, medical imaging and underground mapping. This page sets out how quantum sensing works, how mature each application is, and what evidence serves the agencies and industries considering it.
GCRI · In development · service level R0
Quantum sensing is the use of quantum states to measure time, magnetic fields, gravity, acceleration and rotation with high precision. Atomic clocks already underpin navigation and networks, while atom interferometers and diamond sensors are being developed for navigation, mapping and imaging, with field robustness the main hurdle.
For quantum sensing, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on true-colour imagery, night lights and population density with true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on Japan and Korea; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.
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For quantum sensing, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on true-colour imagery, night lights and population density with true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on Japan and Korea; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date; indicators, not assessments of any place; claim ceiling INTEGRATED.
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The working screen behind this subject: its structure, terms and states. Names are placeholders and values illustrative.
Quantum sensing · Testbed lab · Device QD-91
| Q0 | 166 | 94 | 0.02 | In spec |
| Q1 | 102 | 35 | 0.04 | In spec |
| Q2 | 178 | 57 | 0.05 | Drifting |
| Q3 | 62 | 32 | 0.02 | In spec |
| Q4 | 100 | 95 | 0.03 | Drifting |
Measurement, navigation and Earth-science applications. The dossier below sets out how the risk develops, what is measured, where the data come from, how it is modelled and who decides.
Atomic clocks use transitions between atomic energy levels as frequency references. They underpin satellite navigation, telecommunications and financial timestamps.
Atom interferometers split and recombine matter waves to measure acceleration, rotation and gravity, with potential for navigation and subsurface mapping.
Defects in diamond and other systems sense tiny magnetic fields at small scales, with uses in materials science and biology.
Laboratory sensitivity often degrades in the field because of vibration, temperature and size constraints. Ruggedising sensors is a major engineering challenge.
Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Atomic clock | A clock that uses the frequency of an atomic transition as its reference. |
| Atom interferometer | A device that splits and recombines matter waves to measure acceleration, rotation or gravity. |
| Technology readiness level | A scale describing how mature a technology is, from basic research to proven operation. |
Each indicator carries its unit, its cadence, the kind of source behind it and the evidence label a value would carry. No values are shown: a programme supplies them under its own authority.
| Indicator | Unit | Cadence | Source type | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clock fractional frequency uncertainty | dimensionless | per publication | Metrology institute results | OBSERVED |
| Sensor sensitivity | units per square root of hertz | per device | Published characterisation | REPORTED |
| Field trials of quantum navigation | count | annual | Agency and research reports | REPORTED |
| Technology readiness level by application | readiness level | per assessment | Expert assessments | ESTIMATED |
| Size, weight and power of deployed sensors | kilograms and watts | per device | Product specifications | DECLARED |
| Commercially available quantum sensor products | count by type | annual | Market surveys | REPORTED |
The topic as a computational graph: named sources feed the methods, an evidence review gates the outputs, and the decisions stay with the authorities that hold them.
Fig. 02Nodes carry their type, two metric rows and a state; connectors show what feeds what; dashed frames name the owners; the timeline is the cadence. Design of the pipeline, not a record of a run.
Named public datasets and institutional records, each with its licence class. Sources by agreement are used only under their terms and never republished.
| Source | What it gives | Licence class |
|---|---|---|
| BIPM and national metrology institute publications | Time standards and clock comparisons | Public, terms per institute |
| Peer-reviewed sensing literature | Experimental sensitivities and demonstrations | Licence per article |
| Defence and transport agency reports on alternative navigation | Assessments of quantum navigation options | Public, terms per agency |
| OECD quantum technologies policy work | Overview of sensing applications and policy | Public, OECD terms |
| Market surveys of quantum sensing | Products and firms | Commercial; public summaries (to check) |
Quantum Technologies prepares evidence. The decisions below are taken by the authorities named, under their own rules, and never by the platform.
| Who decides | The question | Evidence this page serves |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and navigation authorities | Whether quantum sensors can reduce dependence on satellite navigation | Readiness assessments; field trial evidence |
| Metrology institutes | How to develop and disseminate time and frequency standards | Clock performance evidence |
| Industry and health systems | Where quantum sensors offer practical benefit | Application comparisons |
Sensing questions concern precision, robustness and use outside the laboratory.
Quantum sensors exploit the fact that quantum states are disturbed by tiny changes in their environment. Atomic clocks measure time by the frequency of atomic transitions. Atom interferometers split and recombine clouds of cold atoms to measure acceleration and gravity. Defects in diamond and other materials act as nanoscale magnetometers. The same sensitivity that gives precision also makes sensors vulnerable to noise, vibration and temperature changes.
The step from laboratory to field is the main challenge. Many quantum sensors require lasers, vacuum systems and careful isolation. Engineering progress is reducing size and power, but performance in a moving vehicle or harsh environment is often well below laboratory results.
| Method or data | What it shows | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory metrology | Fundamental sensitivity and stability | Laboratory performance rarely transfers directly to the field |
| Field trials | Performance in vehicles, aircraft, boreholes or ships | Few trials, often reported by developers |
| Comparison with classical sensors | Whether the quantum device adds real value | Classical sensors also improve |
| Earth observation data fusion | Combining quantum gravimetry with satellite and ground data | Interpretation depends on geophysical models |
The current service level is R0: information and enquiries. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.