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

Applied Physics Letters

Simultaneous measurement of gravity acceleration and gravity gradient with an atom interferometer

Fiodor Sorrentino, Andréa D Bertoldi, Quentin Bodart, L. Cacciapuoti, Marella de Angelis, Yu-Hung Lien, M. Prevedelli, G. Rosi, Guglielmo Maria Tino

Published Sep 10, 2012• 73 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate a method to measure the gravitational acceleration with a dual cloud atom interferometer; the use of simultaneous atom interferometers reduces the effect of seismic noise on the gravity measurement. At the same time, the apparatus is capable of accurate measurements of the vertical gravity gradient. The ability to determine the gravity acceleration and gravity gradient simultaneously and with the same instrument opens interesting perspectives in geophysical applications.

DOI
10.1063/1.4751112

Related papers

Simultaneous accurate determination of both gravity and its vertical gradient

Romain Caldani, Kanxing Weng, Sébastien Merlet +1 more

We present a method for accurate measurements of both the gravity acceleration and its vertical gradient using a dual-atom interferometer, in principle, free from any uncertainty related to the absolute or relative positions of the two atomic samples. The method relies on the use of a dual-lock technique, which simultaneously stirs the chirp rate applied to the frequency difference between the interferometer lasers to compensate the gravity acceleration and the frequency jump applied to the lasers at the mid pulse of the interferometer to compensate for the gravity gradient. This allows one, in the end, to determine the two inertial quantities of interest in terms of frequencies.

arXiv:1812.09199•Physical Review A•Mar 1, 2019•43 citations

Compact differential gravimeter at the quantum projection-noise limit

Camille Janvier, Vincent Ménoret, Bruno Desruelle +3 more

Atom interferometry offers new perspectives for geophysics and inertial sensing. We present the industrial prototype of a quantum-based instrument: a compact, transportable, differential quantum gravimeter capable of measuring simultaneously the absolute values of both gravitational acceleration $g$ and its vertical gradient ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{zz}$. While the sensitivity to $g$ is competitive with the best industrial gravimeters, the sensitivity on ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{zz}$ reaches the limit set by quantum projection noise---leading to a long-term stability of $0.1\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{E}$ ($1\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{E}=1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$). This dual-purpose instrument constitutes the industrial integration of cold atom sensors for practical applications. It paves the way for different applications in geophysics, civil engineering, and gravity-aided navigation, where accurate mapping of the gravitational field plays an important role.

arXiv:2201.03345•Physical Review A•Feb 7, 2022•90 citations

Sensitivity limits of a Raman atom interferometer as a gravity gradiometer

Fiodor Sorrentino, Quentin Bodart, L. Cacciapuoti +5 more

We evaluate the sensitivity of a dual cloud atom interferometer to the measurement of vertical gravity gradient. We study the influence of most relevant experimental parameters on noise and long term drifts. Results are also applied to the case of doubly differential measurements of the gravitational signal from local source masses. We achieve a short-term sensitivity of $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ g/$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$ to differential gravity acceleration, limited by the quantum projection noise of the instrument. Active control of the most critical parameters allows us to reach a resolution of $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ g after 8000 s on the measurement of differential gravity acceleration. The long-term stability is compatible with a measurement of the gravitational constant $G$ at the level of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ after an integration time of about 100 h.

arXiv:1312.3741•Physical Review A•Feb 10, 2014•229 citations

Measurement of the Earth's Gravity Gradient with an Atom Interferometer-Based Gravity Gradiometer

M. J. Snadden, J. M. McGuirk, Philippe Bouyer +2 more

We report the demonstration of an atom interferometer-based gravity gradiometer. The gradiometer uses stimulated two-photon Raman transitions to measure the relative accelerations of two ensembles of laser cooled atoms. We have used this instrument to measure the gradient of the Earth's gravitational field.

Physical Review Letters•Aug 1, 1998•444 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

Proof-of-principle demonstration of vertical-gravity-gradient measurement using a single-proof-mass double-loop atom interferometer

Isadora Perrin, Yannick Bidel, Nassim Zahzam +3 more

We demonstrate a proof-of-principle of direct Earth gravity-gradient measurement with an atom interferometer-based gravity gradiometer using a single proof mass of cold $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms. The atomic gradiometer is implemented in the so-called double-loop configuration, hence providing a direct gravity-gradient dependent phase shift insensitive to dc acceleration and constant rotation rate. The atom interferometer (AI) can be either operated as a gravimeter or a gradiometer by simply adding an extra Raman $\ensuremath{\pi}$ pulse. We demonstrate gravity-gradient measurements first using a vibration isolation platform and second without seismic isolation using the correlation between the AI signal and the vibration signal measured by an auxilliary classical accelerometer allowing one to bypass the absence of common-mode vibration noise rejection in a double-loop geometry. The simplicity of the experimental setup (a single atomic source and unique detection) and the immunity of the AI to rotation-induced contrast loss make it a possible candidate for onboard gravity-gradient measurements.

arXiv:1810.06042•Physical Review A•Jan 2, 2019•22 citations
We demonstrate a method to measure the gravitational acceleration with a dual cloud atom interferometer; the use of simultaneous atom interferometers reduces the effect of seismic noise on the gravity measurement. At the same time, the apparatus is capable of accurate measurements of the vertical gravity gradient. The ability to determine the gravity acceleration and gravity gradient simultaneously and with the same instrument opens interesting perspectives in geophysical applications.
We present a method for accurate measurements of both the gravity acceleration and its vertical gradient using a dual-atom interferometer, in principle, free from any uncertainty related to the absolute or relative positions of the two atomic samples. The method relies on the use of a dual-lock technique, which simultaneously stirs the chirp rate applied to the frequency difference between the interferometer lasers to compensate the gravity acceleration and the frequency jump applied to the lasers at the mid pulse of the interferometer to compensate for the gravity gradient. This allows one, in the end, to determine the two inertial quantities of interest in terms of frequencies.
Atom interferometry offers new perspectives for geophysics and inertial sensing. We present the industrial prototype of a quantum-based instrument: a compact, transportable, differential quantum gravimeter capable of measuring simultaneously the absolute values of both gravitational acceleration ggg and its vertical gradient ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{zz}$. While the sensitivity to ggg is competitive with the best industrial gravimeters, the sensitivity on ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{zz}$ reaches the limit set by quantum projection noise---leading to a long-term stability of 0.1E0.1\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{E}0.1E ($1\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{E}=1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$). This dual-purpose instrument constitutes the industrial integration of cold atom sensors for practical applications. It paves the way for different applications in geophysics, civil engineering, and gravity-aided navigation, where accurate mapping of the gravitational field plays an important role.
We evaluate the sensitivity of a dual cloud atom interferometer to the measurement of vertical gravity gradient. We study the influence of most relevant experimental parameters on noise and long term drifts. Results are also applied to the case of doubly differential measurements of the gravitational signal from local source masses. We achieve a short-term sensitivity of $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ g/Hz\sqrt{\text{Hz}}Hz​ to differential gravity acceleration, limited by the quantum projection noise of the instrument. Active control of the most critical parameters allows us to reach a resolution of $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ g after 8000 s on the measurement of differential gravity acceleration. The long-term stability is compatible with a measurement of the gravitational constant GGG at the level of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ after an integration time of about 100 h.
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 demonstrate a proof-of-principle of direct Earth gravity-gradient measurement with an atom interferometer-based gravity gradiometer using a single proof mass of cold 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms. The atomic gradiometer is implemented in the so-called double-loop configuration, hence providing a direct gravity-gradient dependent phase shift insensitive to dc acceleration and constant rotation rate. The atom interferometer (AI) can be either operated as a gravimeter or a gradiometer by simply adding an extra Raman $\ensuremath{\pi}$ pulse. We demonstrate gravity-gradient measurements first using a vibration isolation platform and second without seismic isolation using the correlation between the AI signal and the vibration signal measured by an auxilliary classical accelerometer allowing one to bypass the absence of common-mode vibration noise rejection in a double-loop geometry. The simplicity of the experimental setup (a single atomic source and unique detection) and the immunity of the AI to rotation-induced contrast loss make it a possible candidate for onboard gravity-gradient measurements.