Research & development

A radio receiver that uses atoms instead of an antenna

Overtone Photonics is an early-stage UK research and development company working on atomic radio reception: wideband, compact, and difficult to jam.

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The problem

Almost all critical communication channels rely on radio signals. Traditionally, every radio receiver needs a metal antenna sized to the desired radio frequency. Covering a wide range of frequencies requires many separate antennas, each with its own tuning hardware that is slow to adjust and easily overwhelmed by interference. On small platforms there simply isn't room, and in contested environments where signals are jammed or spoofed, conventional receivers are increasingly the weak link.

Our approach

We are building a radio receiver that uses atoms instead of a metal antenna. A small sealed glass cell containing a vapour of ordinary atoms is illuminated by laser light, which makes them exquisitely responsive to radio waves. Incoming signals change the atom–light interaction, and we read that change optically. Because the atoms respond to the signal directly rather than through a metal structure, one small cell can be retuned across a very wide range of frequencies almost instantly, replacing several antennas and their tuning hardware with a single compact unit that is also far harder to jam or damage.

Current status

We are at prototype stage. Our near-term work is on the optical subsystems the receiver depends on — in particular the stable, environmentally robust laser references that make atomic sensing viable outside a laboratory. These are useful instruments in their own right, and we expect to make them available to research groups ahead of the complete receiver.

We are actively seeking research collaborations and early evaluation partners. Get in touch.