Ultracold atom interferometry in space

authored by: Maike D. Lachmann, Holger Ahlers, Dennis Becker, Aline N. Dinkelaker, Jens Grosse, Ortwin Hellmig, Hauke Müntinga, Vladimir Schkolnik, Stephan T. Seidel, Thijs Wendrich, André Wenzlawski, Benjamin Carrick, Naceur Gaaloul, Daniel Lüdtke, Claus Braxmaier, Wolfgang Ertmer, Markus Krutzik, Claus Lämmerzahl, Achim Peters, Wolfgang P. Schleich, Klaus Sengstock, Andreas Wicht, Patrick Windpassinger, Ernst M. Rasel
Abstract: Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in free fall constitute a promising source for space-borne interferometry. Indeed, BECs enjoy a slowly expanding wave function, display a large spatial coherence and can be engineered and probed by optical techniques. Here we explore matter-wave fringes of multiple spinor components of a BEC released in free fall employing light-pulses to drive Bragg processes and induce phase imprinting on a sounding rocket. The prevailing microgravity played a crucial role in the observation of these interferences which not only reveal the spatial coherence of the condensates but also allow us to measure differential forces. Our work marks the beginning of matter-wave interferometry in space with future applications in fundamental physics, navigation and earth observation.
Organisation(s): Institute of Quantum Optics
QUEST-Leibniz Research School
QuantumFrontiers
External Organisation(s): Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
University of Potsdam
University of Bremen
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Universität Hamburg
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST)
Texas A and M University
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut gGmbH, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH)
Type: Article
Journal: Nature Communications
Volume: 12
ISSN: 2041-1723
Publication date: 12.2021
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Chemistry(all), Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all), Physics and Astronomy(all)
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21628-z (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{0543c4467a7c4593a32544c4dd6bc232,
title = "Ultracold atom interferometry in space",
abstract = "Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in free fall constitute a promising source for space-borne interferometry. Indeed, BECs enjoy a slowly expanding wave function, display a large spatial coherence and can be engineered and probed by optical techniques. Here we explore matter-wave fringes of multiple spinor components of a BEC released in free fall employing light-pulses to drive Bragg processes and induce phase imprinting on a sounding rocket. The prevailing microgravity played a crucial role in the observation of these interferences which not only reveal the spatial coherence of the condensates but also allow us to measure differential forces. Our work marks the beginning of matter-wave interferometry in space with future applications in fundamental physics, navigation and earth observation.",
author = "Lachmann, {Maike D.} and Holger Ahlers and Dennis Becker and Dinkelaker, {Aline N.} and Jens Grosse and Ortwin Hellmig and Hauke M{\"u}ntinga and Vladimir Schkolnik and Seidel, {Stephan T.} and Thijs Wendrich and Andr{\'e} Wenzlawski and Benjamin Carrick and Naceur Gaaloul and Daniel L{\"u}dtke and Claus Braxmaier and Wolfgang Ertmer and Markus Krutzik and Claus L{\"a}mmerzahl and Achim Peters and Schleich, {Wolfgang P.} and Klaus Sengstock and Andreas Wicht and Patrick Windpassinger and Rasel, {Ernst M.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank all members of the QUANTUS-collaboration for their support and acknowledge fruitful discussions with M. Cornelius, P. Stromberger and W. Herr. This work is supported by the DLR Space Administration with funds provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) under grant numbers DLR 50WM1131-1137, 50WM0940, 50WM1240, 50WM1556, 50WM1641, 50WM1861, 50WM1956, 50WP1431-1435 and 50WM2060, and is funded by the Deutsche For-schungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany{\textquoteright}s Excellence Strategy—EXC-2123 QuantumFrontiers—390837967. W.P.S. thanks Texas A&M University for a Faculty Fellowship at the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife for support of this work. The research of the IQST is financed partially by the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-W{\"u}rttemberg. H.A. acknowledges financial support from “Nieders{\"a}chsisches Vorab” through “F{\"o}r-derung von Wissenschaft und Technik in Forschung und Lehre” for the initial funding of research in the new DLR-SI Institute. N.G. acknowledges funding from “Nie-ders{\"a}chsisches Vorab” through the Quantum-and Nano-Metrology (QUANOMET) initiative within the project QT3. We thank ESRANGE Kiruna and DLR MORABA Oberpfaffenhofen for assistance during the test and launch campaign.",
year = "2021",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1038/s41467-021-21628-z",
language = "English",
volume = "12",
journal = "Nature Communications",
issn = "2041-1723",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "1",
}