A space-based quantum gas laboratory at picokelvin energy scales

authored by: Naceur Gaaloul, Matthias Meister, Robin Corgier, Annie Pichery, Patrick Boegel, Waldemar Herr, Holger Ahlers, Eric Charron, Jason R. Williams, Robert J. Thompson, Wolfgang P. Schleich, Ernst M. Rasel, Nicholas P. Bigelow
Abstract: Ultracold quantum gases are ideal sources for high-precision space-borne sensing as proposed for Earth observation, relativistic geodesy and tests of fundamental physical laws as well as for studying new phenomena in many-body physics during extended free fall. Here we report on experiments with the Cold Atom Lab aboard the International Space Station, where we have achieved exquisite control over the quantum state of single ⁸⁷Rb Bose-Einstein condensates paving the way for future high-precision measurements. In particular, we have applied fast transport protocols to shuttle the atomic cloud over a millimeter distance with sub-micrometer accuracy and subsequently drastically reduced the total expansion energy to below 100 pK with matter-wave lensing techniques.
Organisation(s): QUEST-Leibniz Research School
CRC 1227 Designed Quantum States of Matter (DQ-mat)
External Organisation(s): Universite Paris-Sud
Observatoire de Paris (OBSPARIS)
Ulm University
California Institute of Caltech (Caltech)
Texas A and M University
University of Rochester
DLR-Institute of Quantum Technologies
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Type: Article
Journal: Nature Communications
Volume: 13
ISSN: 2041-1723
Publication date: 22.12.2022
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Chemistry(all), Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all), General, Physics and Astronomy(all)
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2201.06919 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35274-6 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{68830b9a3d1c43c5a271f5c0bb4dee9d,
title = "A space-based quantum gas laboratory at picokelvin energy scales",
abstract = "Ultracold quantum gases are ideal sources for high-precision space-borne sensing as proposed for Earth observation, relativistic geodesy and tests of fundamental physical laws as well as for studying new phenomena in many-body physics during extended free fall. Here we report on experiments with the Cold Atom Lab aboard the International Space Station, where we have achieved exquisite control over the quantum state of single 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensates paving the way for future high-precision measurements. In particular, we have applied fast transport protocols to shuttle the atomic cloud over a millimeter distance with sub-micrometer accuracy and subsequently drastically reduced the total expansion energy to below 100 pK with matter-wave lensing techniques.",
author = "Naceur Gaaloul and Matthias Meister and Robin Corgier and Annie Pichery and Patrick Boegel and Waldemar Herr and Holger Ahlers and Eric Charron and Williams, {Jason R.} and Thompson, {Robert J.} and Schleich, {Wolfgang P.} and Rasel, {Ernst M.} and Bigelow, {Nicholas P.}",
note = "Funding Information: Designed, managed and operated by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cold Atom Lab is sponsored by the Biological and Physical Sciences Division of NASA{\textquoteright}s Science Mission Directorate at the agency{\textquoteright}s headquarters in Washington and the International Space Station Program at NASA{\textquoteright}s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This work is supported by NASA through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Research Service Agreements including RSA 1616833a and the DLR Space Administration with funds provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) under grant numbers DLR 50WM1861-2 (CAL) (M.M., P.B., W.P.S., N.G., E.M.R., A.P.), 50WM2245-A/B (CAL-II) (P.B., W.P.S., N.G., E.M.R., A.P.), 50WP1705 (BECCAL) (M.M., W.P.S.), 50WM2060 (CARIOQA) (N.G., E.M.R.) and 50WM2263A (CARIOQA-GE) (N.G., E.M.R.) and is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany{\textquoteright}s Excellence Strategy—EXC-2123 QuantumFrontiers—390837967 (E.M.R.) and through the CRC 1227 (DQ-mat) within Project Nos. A05 (N.G.), B07 (E.M.R.). N.G. acknowledges funding from “Nieders{\"a}chsisches Vorab” through the Quantum- and Nano-Metrology (QUANOMET) initiative within the project QT3 and H.A. through “F{\"o}rderung von Wissenschaft und Technik in Forschung und Lehre” for the initial funding of research in the new DLR-SI Institute. A.P. and E.C. thank the M{\'e}socentre computing center of CentraleSup{\'e}lec and {\'E}cole Normale Sup{\'e}rieure Paris-Saclay supported by CNRS and R{\'e}gion {\^I}le-de-France (http://mesocentre.centralesupelec.fr/) for HPC resources. ",
year = "2022",
month = dec,
day = "22",
doi = "10.48550/arXiv.2201.06919",
language = "English",
volume = "13",
journal = "Nature Communications",
issn = "2041-1723",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "1",
}