Quantum sensing

Atomic magnetometer animation showing atoms in a vapor cell responding to magnetic fields.
Transition-edge sensor animation showing how a superconducting detector responds to a small amount of light.
Rydberg-atom animation showing enlarged atom states used to detect radio-frequency electric fields.
Client
NIST
Year
2025
Type
animation
Field
quantum sensing / measurement science
Links
NIST explainer / atomic magnetometer / transition-edge sensor / Rydberg atoms
Description
Three short looping animations for a NIST explainer on quantum sensing.

Context

NIST's quantum-sensing explainer introduces sensors that use quantum effects to measure magnetic fields, small amounts of light, and radio-frequency radiation.

The communications team needed short looping animations that could sit inside individual explainer pages without becoming full narrated videos.

Approach

I made three stylized looping animations in the visual style requested by the NIST team. Each loop isolates one physical idea: atom spins changing in a vapor cell, a superconducting detector warming after absorbing light, and a Rydberg atom acting like a sensitive antenna.