Michał Parniak

Dr. Michał Parniak leads the Quantum Optical Devices Lab at the University of Warsaw (Faculty of Physics & Centre of New Technologies), where he and his team turn advanced quantum physics into practical sensing technologies. His research focuses on Rydberg atoms—highly excited atoms that act like tiny antennas for microwaves, terahertz, and optical light. Using these, his group has developed record-sensitive receivers that can detect extremely weak signals and even convert them into light for ultra-precise measurements.

Currently, Michał is leading an ambitious European Space Agency project (RYDAR: Rydberg Detector for Advanced RF Payloads), aimed at building the first prototype of an atom-based radio receiver for satellites. Such receivers could radically change Earth observation: instead of relying on multiple antennas, a single quantum sensor could cover many frequency bands at once, reducing satellite weight and cost while boosting versatility.

At the intersection of fundamental science and cutting-edge technology transfer, Michał’s work shows how quantum optics can leave the lab to solve real problems—from monitoring our atmosphere to designing the next generation of communication tools.