Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1712.01388 · New Journal of Physics

Bragg gravity-gradiometer using the1S0–3P1intercombination transition of88Sr

R P del Aguila, Tommaso Mazzoni, L Hu, Leonardo Salvi, G M Tino, N. Poli

Published Feb 20, 2018• 30 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present a gradiometer based on matter-wave interference of alkaline-earth-metal atoms, namely 88 Sr. The coherent manipulation of the atomic external degrees of freedom is obtained by large-momentum-transfer Bragg diffraction, driven by laser fields detuned away from the narrow 1 S 0 – 3 P 1 intercombination transition. We use a well-controlled artificial gradient, realized by changing the relative frequencies of the Bragg pulses during the interferometer sequence, in order to characterize the sensitivity of the gradiometer. The sensitivity reaches 1.5 × 10 −5 s −2 for an interferometer time of 20 ms, limited only by geometrical constraints. We observed extremely low sensitivity of the gradiometric phase to magnetic field gradients, approaching a value 10 4 times lower than the sensitivity of alkali-atom based gradiometers, limited by the interferometer sensitivity. An efficient double-launch technique employing accelerated red vertical lattices from a single magneto-optical trap cloud is also demonstrated. These results highlight strontium as an ideal candidate for precision measurements of gravity gradients, with potential application in future precision tests of fundamental physics.

DOI
10.1088/1367-2630/aab088

Related papers

Sr atom interferometry with the optical clock transition as a gravimeter and a gravity gradiometer

Liang Hu, Enlong Wang, Leonardo Salvi +3 more

Abstract We characterize the performance of a gravimeter and a gravity gradiometer based on the 1S0–3P0 clock transition of strontium atoms. We use this new quantum sensor to measure the gravitational acceleration with a relative sensitivity of after 150 s of integration time, representing the first realisation of an atomic interferometry gravimeter based on a single-photon transition. Various noise contributions to the gravimeter are measured and characterized, with the current primary limitation to sensitivity seen to be the intrinsic noise of the interferometry laser itself. In a gravity gradiometer configuration, a differential phase sensitivity of 1.53 rad was achieved at an artificially introduced differential phase of rad. We experimentally investigated the effects of the contrast and visibility based on various parameters and achieved a total interferometry time of 30 ms, which is longer than previously reported for such interferometers. The characterization and determined limitations of the present apparatus employing 88Sr atoms provides a guidance for the future development of large-scale clock-transition gravimeters and gravity gradiometers with alkali-earth and alkali-earth-like atoms (e.g. 87Sr, Ca, Yb, Cd).

arXiv:1907.10537•Classical and Quantum Gravity•Oct 11, 2019•61 citations

Precision atomic gravimeter based on Bragg diffraction

P. A. Altin, Mattias Johnsson, Vlad Negnevitsky +10 more

We present a precision gravimeter based on coherent Bragg diffraction of freely falling cold atoms. Traditionally, atomic gravimeters have used stimulated Raman transitions to separate clouds in momentum space by driving transitions between two internal atomic states. Bragg interferometers utilize only a single internal state, and can therefore be less susceptible to environmental perturbations. Here we show that atoms extracted from a magneto-optical trap using an accelerating optical lattice are a suitable source for a Bragg atom interferometer, allowing efficient beamsplitting and subsequent separation of momentum states for detection. Despite the inherently multi-state nature of atom diffraction, we are able to build a Mach–Zehnder interferometer using Bragg scattering which achieves a sensitivity to the gravitational acceleration of Δ g / g = 2.7 × 10 −9 with an integration time of 1000 s. The device can also be converted to a gravity gradiometer by a simple modification of the light pulse sequence.

arXiv:1207.1595•New Journal of Physics•Feb 6, 2013•155 citations

Characterization of the gravity gradiometer based on the Sr optical clock transition

Liang Hu, Leonardo Salvi, Enlong Wang +2 more

We present a gravity gradiometer with the strontium optical clock transition by integrating a double lattice launch technique to develop two atomic samples vertically and a new method to add an artificial phase shift between two samples. We experimentally characterize the launch performance and the robustness of adding the artificial phase shift. The tunable differential phase shift is particularly important for characterizing the performance of a gravity gradiometer when the separation of the two clouds is limited by the geometrical constraints. Moreover, numerical simulation results indicate that the systematic error of the differential phase measurement can be largely reduced when the ellipse phase approaches ±π/2 rad by simply tuning the relative phase between two RF signals.

European Frequency and Time Forum•Apr 1, 2018•0 citations

Large-momentum-transfer Bragg interferometer with strontium atoms

Tommaso Mazzoni, X. Zhang, R P del Aguila +3 more

We report on an atom interferometer based on Bragg diffraction in a fountain of alkaline-earth-metal atoms, namely $^{88}\mathrm{Sr}$. We demonstrate large momentum transfer to the atoms up to eight photon recoils and the use of the interferometer as a gravimeter with a sensitivity $\ensuremath{\delta}g/g=4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$. Thanks to the special characteristics of strontium atoms for precision measurements, this result introduces alternate possibilities for experiments in fundamental and applied physics.

arXiv:1510.07939•Physical Review A•Nov 19, 2015•71 citations

Bragg interferometer for gravity gradient measurements

Giulio D'Amico, Filippo Borselli, L. Cacciapuoti +4 more

We report on the characterization of a dual cloud atom interferometer for gravity gradient measurements using third-order Bragg diffraction as atom optical elements. We study the dependence of the contrast and the gradiometer phase angle against the relevant experimental parameters and characterize the instrument sensitivity. We achieve a sensitivity to gravity gradient measurements of $2.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ (26 E) after $2000\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}$ of integration time.

Physical Review A•Jun 22, 2016•37 citations

Atom Interferometry with the Sr Optical Clock Transition

Liang Hu, N. Poli, Leonardo Salvi +1 more

We report on the realization of a matter-wave interferometer based on single-photon interaction on the ultranarrow optical clock transition of strontium atoms. We experimentally demonstrate its operation as a gravimeter and as a gravity gradiometer. No reduction of interferometric contrast was observed for a total interferometer time up to ∼10 ms, limited by geometric constraints of the apparatus. Single-photon interferometers represent a new class of high-precision sensors that could be used for the detection of gravitational waves in so far unexplored frequency ranges and to enlighten the boundary between quantum mechanics and general relativity.

arXiv:1708.05116•Physical Review Letters•Dec 27, 2017•149 citations
We present a gradiometer based on matter-wave interference of alkaline-earth-metal atoms, namely 88 Sr. The coherent manipulation of the atomic external degrees of freedom is obtained by large-momentum-transfer Bragg diffraction, driven by laser fields detuned away from the narrow 1 S 0 – 3 P 1 intercombination transition. We use a well-controlled artificial gradient, realized by changing the relative frequencies of the Bragg pulses during the interferometer sequence, in order to characterize the sensitivity of the gradiometer. The sensitivity reaches 1.5 × 10 −5 s −2 for an interferometer time of 20 ms, limited only by geometrical constraints. We observed extremely low sensitivity of the gradiometric phase to magnetic field gradients, approaching a value 10 4 times lower than the sensitivity of alkali-atom based gradiometers, limited by the interferometer sensitivity. An efficient double-launch technique employing accelerated red vertical lattices from a single magneto-optical trap cloud is also demonstrated. These results highlight strontium as an ideal candidate for precision measurements of gravity gradients, with potential application in future precision tests of fundamental physics.
Abstract We characterize the performance of a gravimeter and a gravity gradiometer based on the 1S0–3P0 clock transition of strontium atoms. We use this new quantum sensor to measure the gravitational acceleration with a relative sensitivity of after 150 s of integration time, representing the first realisation of an atomic interferometry gravimeter based on a single-photon transition. Various noise contributions to the gravimeter are measured and characterized, with the current primary limitation to sensitivity seen to be the intrinsic noise of the interferometry laser itself. In a gravity gradiometer configuration, a differential phase sensitivity of 1.53 rad was achieved at an artificially introduced differential phase of rad. We experimentally investigated the effects of the contrast and visibility based on various parameters and achieved a total interferometry time of 30 ms, which is longer than previously reported for such interferometers. The characterization and determined limitations of the present apparatus employing 88Sr atoms provides a guidance for the future development of large-scale clock-transition gravimeters and gravity gradiometers with alkali-earth and alkali-earth-like atoms (e.g. 87Sr, Ca, Yb, Cd).
We present a precision gravimeter based on coherent Bragg diffraction of freely falling cold atoms. Traditionally, atomic gravimeters have used stimulated Raman transitions to separate clouds in momentum space by driving transitions between two internal atomic states. Bragg interferometers utilize only a single internal state, and can therefore be less susceptible to environmental perturbations. Here we show that atoms extracted from a magneto-optical trap using an accelerating optical lattice are a suitable source for a Bragg atom interferometer, allowing efficient beamsplitting and subsequent separation of momentum states for detection. Despite the inherently multi-state nature of atom diffraction, we are able to build a Mach–Zehnder interferometer using Bragg scattering which achieves a sensitivity to the gravitational acceleration of Δ g / g = 2.7 × 10 −9 with an integration time of 1000 s. The device can also be converted to a gravity gradiometer by a simple modification of the light pulse sequence.
We present a gravity gradiometer with the strontium optical clock transition by integrating a double lattice launch technique to develop two atomic samples vertically and a new method to add an artificial phase shift between two samples. We experimentally characterize the launch performance and the robustness of adding the artificial phase shift. The tunable differential phase shift is particularly important for characterizing the performance of a gravity gradiometer when the separation of the two clouds is limited by the geometrical constraints. Moreover, numerical simulation results indicate that the systematic error of the differential phase measurement can be largely reduced when the ellipse phase approaches ±π/2 rad by simply tuning the relative phase between two RF signals.
We report on an atom interferometer based on Bragg diffraction in a fountain of alkaline-earth-metal atoms, namely 88Sr^{88}\mathrm{Sr}88Sr. We demonstrate large momentum transfer to the atoms up to eight photon recoils and the use of the interferometer as a gravimeter with a sensitivity $\ensuremath{\delta}g/g=4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$. Thanks to the special characteristics of strontium atoms for precision measurements, this result introduces alternate possibilities for experiments in fundamental and applied physics.
We report on the characterization of a dual cloud atom interferometer for gravity gradient measurements using third-order Bragg diffraction as atom optical elements. We study the dependence of the contrast and the gradiometer phase angle against the relevant experimental parameters and characterize the instrument sensitivity. We achieve a sensitivity to gravity gradient measurements of $2.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ (26 E) after 2000s2000\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}2000s of integration time.
We report on the realization of a matter-wave interferometer based on single-photon interaction on the ultranarrow optical clock transition of strontium atoms. We experimentally demonstrate its operation as a gravimeter and as a gravity gradiometer. No reduction of interferometric contrast was observed for a total interferometer time up to ∼10 ms, limited by geometric constraints of the apparatus. Single-photon interferometers represent a new class of high-precision sensors that could be used for the detection of gravitational waves in so far unexplored frequency ranges and to enlighten the boundary between quantum mechanics and general relativity.