arXiv subjects

W. Evans

Publications and source records attributed to W. Evans.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Quantum magnetic imaging of current density in lithium-ion batteries

The projected rapid growth of battery cell production over the next decade demands advanced diagnostic tools for quality control, ageing prediction, and recycling. Most existing techniques lack the spatial and temporal resolution required to capture internal electrochemical processes non-invasively. Here, we present magnetic imaging of current densities in battery cells, a sensitive quantum-magnetometry method that uses optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) to perform real-time imaging of internal dynamics in open-circuit configuration. We demonstrate this approach for monitoring relaxation processes in 6000 mA h lithium-ion cells following pulsed discharges across a range of pulse durations and currents as well as states of charge. The measurement results are benchmarked against superconducting-quantum-interference-device (SQUID) magnetometry and validated with three-dimensional finite element simulations. Equivalent circuit models are employed to interpret the relaxation profiles, revealing spatially resolved features and transient magnetic-field signatures that are inaccessible with complementary non-invasive techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This work establishes OPM-based magnetic imaging of battery current density as a powerful diagnostic tool with potential impact on cell development, manufacturing quality assurance, and second-life assessment.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

An Environmental Monitoring Network for Quantum Gas Experiments and Devices

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.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Additively manufactured ultra-high vacuum chamber below $10^{-10}$ mbar

Metal-based additive manufacturing (AM) represents a paradigm change in engineering and production methods across multiple industries and sectors. AM methods enable mass reduction and performance optimisation well beyond that achievable via conventional manufacturing, thereby impacting significantly on aerospace and space technologies. Technologies relying on high and ultra-high vacuum (UHV), such as x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy, photo-sensors, cameras and cryostats, could also benefit greatly from AM. Despite recent advances in AM processing of metals, additively manufactured UHV chambers have so far not been achieved. Reducing the mass of UHV equipment is particularly critical for the development of portable cold atom systems, which are expected to underpin the next generation of sensing and timekeeping technologies and to allow novel space-based sensors for fundamental research. We demonstrate here an additively manufactured UHV chamber reaching a pressure below $10^{-10}$ mbar, enabling a cloud of cold $^{85}$Rb atoms to be trapped - the starting point for many precision timekeeping and sensing devices. The chamber is manufactured from aluminium alloy AlSi10Mg by laser powder bed fusion and has a mass of less than a third of a commercially-available equivalent. Outgassing analysis based on mass spectrometry was performed and it was demonstrated that even without active pumping the system remains in the $10^{-9}$ mbar regime for up to 48 hours.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Optically detected magnetic resonance of nitrogen vacancies in a diamond anvil cell using designer diamond anvils

Optically detected magnetic resonance of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond offers novel routes to both DC and AC magnetometry in diamond anvil cells under high pressures ($>3$ GPa). However, a serious challenge to realizing experiments has been the insertion of microwave radiation in to the sample space without screening by the gasket material. We utilize designer anvils with lithographically-deposited metallic microchannels on the diamond culet as a microwave antenna. We detected the spin resonance of an ensemble of microdiamonds under pressure, and measure the pressure dependence of the zero field splitting parameters. These experiments enable the possibility for all-optical magnetic resonance experiments on sub-$μ$L sample volumes at high pressures.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

3D-printed components for quantum devices

Recent advances in the preparation, control and measurement of atomic gases have led to new insights into the quantum world and unprecedented metrological sensitivities, e.g. in measuring gravitational forces and magnetic fields. The full potential of applying such capabilities to areas as diverse as biomedical imaging, non-invasive underground mapping, and GPS-free navigation can only be realised with the scalable production of efficient, robust and portable devices. Here we introduce additive manufacturing as a production technique of quantum device components with unrivalled design freedom, providing a step change in efficiency, compactness and facilitating systems integration. As a demonstrator we present a compact ultracold atom source using less than ten milliwatts power to produce large samples of cold rubidium gases in an ultrahigh vacuum environment. This disruptive technology opens the door to drastically improved integrated structures, which will further reduce power consumption, size and assembly complexity in scalable series manufacture of bespoke quantum devices.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

CP(N-1) Quantum Field Theories with Alkaline-Earth Atoms in Optical Lattices

We propose a cold atom implementation to attain the continuum limit of (1+1)-d CP(N-1) quantum field theories. These theories share important features with (3+1)-d QCD, such as asymptotic freedom and $θ$ vacua. Moreover, their continuum limit can be accessed via the mechanism of dimensional reduction. In our scheme, the CP(N-1) degrees of freedom emerge at low energies from a ladder system of SU(N) quantum spins, where the N spin states are embodied by the nuclear Zeeman states of alkaline-earth atoms, trapped in an optical lattice. Based on Monte Carlo results, we establish that the continuum limit can be demonstrated by an atomic quantum simulation by employing the feature of asymptotic freedom. We discuss a protocol for the adiabatic state preparation of the ground state of the system, the real-time evolution of a false $θ$-vacuum state after a quench, and we propose experiments to unravel the phase diagram at non-zero density.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Bottomonium in the plasma: lattice results

We present results on the heavy quarkonium spectrum and spectral functions obtained by performing large-scale simulations of QCD for temperatures ranging from about 100 to 500 MeV, in the same range as those explored by LHC experiments. We discuss our method and perspectives for further improvements towards the goal of full control over the many systematic uncertainties of these studies.

hep-lat↗