Quantum Optics and Sensing in Microgravity

Experiments and scientific exchange in quantum optics and sensing within ground-based and sub-orbital microgravity platforms.

Contributions to QuantumFrontiers

  • Development of scientific projects in Droptowers (Einstein-Elevator, DropTower Bremen, GraviTower Pro) and sounding rockets
  • Development of future geodesy satellite missions, e.g. CARIOQA, by testing atom interferometry in microgravity
  • Realization of atom interferometry in the Einstein-Elevator for research on fundamental physics and metrology beyond the standard quantum limit
  • A collaborative platform for experts on µg-facilities, which improves workflows, experiment quality and project efficiency on current facilities
  • Method and technology transfer on quantum experiments in microgravity via e.g. workshops

Collaborative Innovation

  • Search for dark energy in the Einstein-Elevator (Rasel, Piest, LUH)
  • Interferometry with entangled atoms (Klempt, Kruse, DLR-SI)
  • Extending atom interferometry to unprecedented free evolution times (Rasel, Abend, LUH)
  • Exploring and improving limitations of µg-platforms with respect to vibrations, rotations and magnetic fields beyond current capabilities (Lotz, Herrmann, Becker, LUH, ZARM)
  • Use optical/matterwave high-precision inertial sensors in combination with active controlled stabilization to define the state of the art in µg research (Rasel, Schlippert, Lotz, LUH)
  • Planning, realizing and testing pathfinders for future space missions on microgravity platforms (Rasel, Gaaloul, Lotz LUH)

Scientific Output

  • Publications
    Herbst A, Estrampes T, Albers H, Vollenkemper V, Stolzenberg K, Bode S et al. High-flux source system for matter-wave interferometry exploiting tunable interactions. Physical Review Research. 2024 Feb 2;6(1):013139. doi: 10.1103/physrevresearch.6.013139
    Elsen M, Piest B, Adam F, Anton O, Arciszewski P, Bartosch W et al. A Dual-Species Atom Interferometer Payload for Operation on Sounding Rockets. Microgravity Science and Technology. 2023 Sep 7;35(5):48. doi: 10.1007/s12217-023-10068-7
    Lotz C, Piest B, Rasel E, Overmeyer L. The Einstein Elevator: Space Experiments at the new Hannover Center for Microgravity Research. Europhysics News. 2023 Apr 28;54(2):9-11. doi: 10.1051/epn/2023201
    Pichery A, Meister M, Piest B, Böhm J, Rasel EM, Charron E et al. Efficient numerical description of the dynamics of interacting multispecies quantum gases. AVS Quantum Science. 2023 Dez;5(4):044401. Epub 2023 Nov 7. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2305.13433, 10.1116/5.0163850
    Raudonis M, Roura A, Meister M, Lotz C, Overmeyer L, Herrmann S et al. Microgravity facilities for cold atom experiments. Quantum Science and Technology. 2023 Aug 10;8(4):044001. doi: 10.1088/2058-9565/ace1a3
    Piest B, Vollenkemper V, Böhm J, Herbst A, Rasel EM. Red- and blue-detuned magneto-optical trapping with liquid crystal variable retarders. Review of scientific instruments. 2022 Feb 2;93(2):023202. doi: 10.1063/5.0071619
    Lachmann MD, Ahlers H, Becker D, Dinkelaker AN, Grosse J, Hellmig O et al. Ultracold atom interferometry in space. Nature Communications. 2021 Dez;12(1):1317. Epub 2021 Feb 26. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21628-z
    Becker D, Lachmann MD, Seidel ST, Ahlers H, Dinkelaker AN, Grosse J et al. Space-borne Bose–Einstein condensation for precision interferometry. NATURE. 2018 Okt 18;562:391-395. Epub 2018 Okt 17. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.1806.06679, 10.1038/s41586-018-0605-1

TG Members

  • Involved Members and their Relevant Expertise
    Members Institution Relevant Expertise
    Baptist Piest, Leader IQO Atom interferometry in microgravity, quantum gases and atomic mixtures; search for dark energy
    Christoph Lotz, Leader ITA Microgravity experiments; Development of µg-facilities using sensor fusion concepts
    Ernst M. Rasel IQO Quantum Gravimeters; Atom-Chip Based Gravimeters and Inertial Sensors; Atom interferometry in microgravity, quantum gases and atomic mixtures; search for dark energy
    Ludger Overmeyer ITA Microgravity experiments
    Naceur Gaaloul IQO Theory of many-body physics and atom interferometry
    Jonas Böhm IQO Atom interferometry in microgravity, atomic mixtures
    Sven Herrmann ZARM Microgravity experiments
    Dennis Schlippert IQO Very-long baseline atom interferometry
    Matthias Gersemann IQO Quantum gravimetry
    Sven Abend IQO Quantum gravimetry
    Carsten Klempt IQO/DLR-SI Quantum Atom Optics; Entanglement and sub-shot noise atom interferometry
    Jens Kruse DLR-SI Quantum and Nano-Engineering of Light and Matter; Entanglement and sub-shot noise atom interferometry
    Christian Schubert DLR-SI Atom-Chip Based Gravimeters and Inertial Sensors
    Waldemar Herr DLR-SI Atom-Chip Based Gravimeters and Inertial Sensors
    Elena Jordan PTB  
    Tanja Mehlstäubler PTB Precision spectroscopy in In+ and Yb+ ions; Test of LLI
    Christian Vogt ZARM Microgravity experiments
    Stephan Hannig PTB  
    Klemens Hammerer ITP Theory of quantum optics, coupling to general relativity
    Marian Woltmann ZARM  
    Merle Cornelius ZARM  
    Laura Pätzold ZARM  
    Mouine Abidi IQO Inertial Sensors
    Ekim Hanimeli ZARM  
    Kai Frye IQO Microgravity experiments
    Claus Lämmerzahl ZARM  
    Alexander Wanner HITec Microgravity experiments
    Jörg Neumann LZH Laser development and characterization
    Peter Weßels LZH Laser development and characterization
    Dorthe Leopoldt IQO Atom interferometry in microgravity
    Sukhjovan Gill IQO  
    Rui Li IQO Atom interferometry simulations
    Stefan Seckmeyer IQO Atom interferometry simulations, optical simulations
    Gabriel Müller IQO Atom chip design
    Priyanka Guggilam IQO Microgravity experiments
    Charles Garcion IQO Quantum sensing Casimir Polder Forces