We present a variational model suitable for rapid preliminary design of atom interferometers in a microgravity environment. The model approximates the solution of the three-dimensional rotating-frame Gross-Pitaevskii equation as the sum of ${N}_{c}$ Gaussian clouds. Each Gaussian cloud is assumed to have time-dependent center positions, widths, and linear and quadratic phase parameters. We applied the Lagrangian variational method (LVM) with this trial wave function to derive equations of motion for these parameters that can be adapted to any external potential. We also present a one-dimensional (1D) version of this variational model. As an example we apply the model to a 1D atom interferometry scheme for measuring Newton's gravitational constant, $G$ , in a microgravity environment. We show how the LVM model can (1) constrain the experimental parameter space size, (2) show how the value of $G$ can be obtained from the experimental conditions and interference pattern characteristics, and (3) show how to improve the sensitivity of the measurement and construct a preliminary error budget.We present a variational model suitable for rapid preliminary design of atom interferometers in a microgravity environment. The model approximates the solution of the three-dimensional rotating-frame Gross-Pitaevskii equation as the sum of ${N}_{c}$ Gaussian clouds. Each Gaussian cloud is assumed to have time-dependent center positions, widths, and linear and quadratic phase parameters. We applied the Lagrangian variational method (LVM) with this trial wave function to derive equations of motion for these parameters that can be adapted to any external potential. We also present a one-dimensional (1D) version of this variational model. As an example we apply the model to a 1D atom interferometry scheme for measuring Newton's gravitational constant, $G$, in a microgravity environment. We show how the LVM model can (1) constrain the experimental parameter space size, (2) show how the value of $G$ can be obtained from the experimental conditions and interference pattern characteristics, and (3) show how to improve the sensitivity of the measurement and construct a preliminary error budget.

arXiv:1903.04028Physical Review AApr 15, 20191 citation

Deep cooling scheme of quantum degenerate gas and ground experimental verification for chinese space station

Hui Li, Jiachen Yu, Xiaolong Yuan +15 more

The Cold Atom Physics Rack (CAPR) of Chinese space station will be launched at the end of 2022. The important goal of CAPR is to achieve BEC at 100 pk. In order to obtain ultracold atoms in microgravity of space station, we propose a two-stage cooling scheme using all-optical trap with different waist beams. The cold atom cloud obtained by this scheme is composed of condensate and thermal atoms around condensate. The design of our two-stage cooling scheme will effectively reduce the temperature of the thermal atom cloud and the effective temperature generated by the interaction energy of the condensate. The atomic temperature of 5 nk is obtained from the ground test experiment, and the corresponding temperature under the microgravity condition of the space station is theoretically predicted to be less than 100 pk. Taking the advantages of ultracold temperature and long-time detection, many scientific experiments will be arranged. In this paper, the ground test experiments based on ground principle prototype and pre-prototype for CAPR are also introduced.The Cold Atom Physics Rack (CAPR) of Chinese space station will be launched at the end of 2022. The important goal of CAPR is to achieve BEC at 100 pk. In order to obtain ultracold atoms in microgravity of space station, we propose a two-stage cooling scheme using all-optical trap with different waist beams. The cold atom cloud obtained by this scheme is composed of condensate and thermal atoms around condensate. The design of our two-stage cooling scheme will effectively reduce the temperature of the thermal atom cloud and the effective temperature generated by the interaction energy of the condensate. The atomic temperature of 5 nk is obtained from the ground test experiment, and the corresponding temperature under the microgravity condition of the space station is theoretically predicted to be less than 100 pk. Taking the advantages of ultracold temperature and long-time detection, many scientific experiments will be arranged. In this paper, the ground test experiments based on ground principle prototype and pre-prototype for CAPR are also introduced.

Frontiers in PhysicsSep 7, 20224 citations

Efimov studies of an ultracold cloud of

^{39}

K atoms in microgravity: Numerical modelling and experimental design

{N}_{c}

Gaussian clouds. Each Gaussian cloud is assumed to have time-dependent center positions, widths, and linear and quadratic phase parameters. We applied the Lagrangian variational method (LVM) with this trial wave function to derive equations of motion for these parameters that can be adapted to any external potential. We also present a one-dimensional (1D) version of this variational model. As an example we apply the model to a 1D atom interferometry scheme for measuring Newton's gravitational constant,

G

, in a microgravity environment. We show how the LVM model can (1) constrain the experimental parameter space size, (2) show how the value of

G

can be obtained from the experimental conditions and interference pattern characteristics, and (3) show how to improve the sensitivity of the measurement and construct a preliminary error budget.