Dr. Callum Sambridge is a Postdoctoral Fellow within the Microdevices Lab at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He develops next-generation optical sensors and components by leveraging the Lab's specialized microfabrication capabilities to answer critical scientific questions from space.

Dr. Sambridge received his Ph.D. from the Australian National University, where his research pushed the fundamental sensing limits of laser-based measurements between spacecraft. Before joining JPL, he co-founded Vai Photonics to commercialize optical navigation technology for lunar missions. This background in both fundamental research and applied engineering drives him to create robust, cutting-edge instruments to enable the next era of space science and exploration.

• Ph.D. in Physics - Australian National University, Canberra, Australia (2025)
• B.S. in Science (Physics) with First Class Honors - Australian National University, Canberra, Australia (2020)

• Design of interferometric sensors
• Detection statistics and digital processing design of optical systems
• LiDAR and coherent laser ranging systems
• Optical phase metrology
• FPGA algorithm formation

• Sensors, Microdevices and Instruments  | Integrated Photonics, Direct/Coherent Detectors, And Arrays
• Sensors, Microdevices and Instruments  | Remote/In Situ/Life Detection Instruments And Sensors
• Quantum Technologies  | Quantum Sensor Technologies, Devices, And Clocks

• Deep-space optical links  
• Interferometry  
• LIDAR  
• Optics  

• Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2025 - Present)
• Ph.D. in Physics, Australian National University (2021-2025)
• Photonics Engineer, Advanced Navigation (2022 - 2024)
• Co-founder and Lead Engineer, Vai Photonics (2021-2022)

First author publications

• C. S. Sambridge, K. McKenzie, S. P. Francis, J. V. Sánchez, and C. Woodruff, “Characterizing the phase-tracking limits of the GRACE follow-on flight laser,” Phys. Rev. Applied, vol. 24, no. 1, p. 014015, July 2025, doi: 10.1103/q62l-3684.
• C. S. Sambridge and K. McKenzie, “Dual-quadrature phasemeter for space-based interferometry,” Phys. Rev. Applied, vol. 24, no. 1, p. 014009, July 2025, doi: 10.1103/35vl-5wh1.
• C. S. Sambridge, J. T. Valliyakalayil, and K. McKenzie, “Comparing Link Budget Requirements for Future Space-Based Interferometers,” Remote Sensing, vol. 16, no. 19, Art. no. 19, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.3390/rs16193598.
• C. S. Sambridge et al., “Subfemtowatt Laser Phase Tracking,” Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 131, no. 19, p. 193804, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.193804.
• C. S. Sambridge, J. T. Spollard, A. J. Sutton, K. McKenzie, and L. E. Roberts, “Detection statistics for coherent RMCW LiDAR,” Opt. Express, vol. 29, no. 16, p. 25945, Aug. 2021, doi: 10.1364/OE.433904.
  

Other publications

• J. T. Spollard, L. E. Roberts, P. G. Sibley, C. S. Sambridge, D. A. Shaddock, and K. McKenzie, “Improved cross-talk suppression for digitally enhanced interferometry using Golay complementary pairs,” Opt. Lett., vol. 47, no. 7, p. 1570, Apr. 2022, doi: 10.1364/OL.448668.
• J. T. Spollard, L. E. Roberts, C. S. Sambridge, K. McKenzie, and D. A. Shaddock, “Mitigation of phase noise and Doppler-induced frequency offsets in coherent random amplitude modulated continuous-wave LiDAR,” Opt. Express, OE, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 9060–9083, Mar. 2021, doi: 10.1364/OE.416128.