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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)

Gravitational Physics with Atomic Quantum Sensors

Guglielmo Maria Tino

Published Jun 1, 2019• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The ability to control the quantum degrees of freedom of atoms using laser light opened the way to precision measurements of fundamental physical quantities. I will describe experiments for precision tests of gravitational physics using new quantum devices based on ultracold atoms, namely, atom interferometers and optical clocks. I will report on the measurement of the gravitational constant G with a Rb Raman interferometer, on experiments based on Bloch oscillations of Sr atoms confined in an optical lattice for gravity measurements at small spatial scales, and on new tests of the Einstein equivalence principle. I will also discuss prospects to use atoms as new detectors for gravitational waves and for experiments in space.

DOI
10.1109/cleoe-eqec.2019.8872784

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The ability to control the quantum degrees of freedom of atoms using laser light opened the way to precision measurements of fundamental physical quantities. I will describe experiments for precision tests of gravitational physics using new quantum devices based on ultracold atoms, namely, atom interferometers and optical clocks. I will report on the measurement of the gravitational constant G with a Rb Raman interferometer, on experiments based on Bloch oscillations of Sr atoms confined in an optical lattice for gravity measurements at small spatial scales, and on new tests of the Einstein equivalence principle. I will also discuss prospects to use atoms as new detectors for gravitational waves and for experiments in space.
In this article, we illustrate a series of experiments performed in our group in the field of atom interferometry for precision gravity measurements. We show that instruments measuring and testing gravity can be built both with rubidium and with strontium atoms, while keeping the sources of systematic error under control. The application of these devices in the test of the Weak Equivalence Principle with quantum objects, in the measurement of the Newtonian gravitational constant G and in the development of a new type atom interferometer for the detection of gravitational waves is discussed.
The interplay between quantum mechanics and gravity is almost as mysterious today as it was half a century ago despite remarkable progress in either field. Putting aside exotic topics like quantum theories of gravity, even a purely classical quantity, such as Newton’s gravitational constant (or “big G”), has not been measured to a precision and accuracy close to that of other fundamental constants (e.g. speed of light, fine structure constant, etc.). Moreover, until recently [1], most measurements of big G have been classical in nature. Therefore, using a quantum sensor, such as an atomic gradiometer, to perform precision measurements of big G not only adds another (quantum) dimension to said measurement, but also opens a window into studying other fundamental classical gravitational phenomena, like measuring gravitational waves [2]. Furthermore, due to the quantum nature of the sensor apparatus, the interplay of gravity and quantum mechanics can be explored by studying effects such as gravitational decoherence [3]. In this talk, I will discuss ongoing progress on the construction of a 2 meter tall atom interferometer using Strontium. By virtue of the bosonic isotope (Strontium-88) having a zero nuclear spin, the demands on magnetic shielding of the apparatus are relaxed compared to (say) alkali atoms. Once operational over the 2 meter baseline, this atom interferometer will be used to perform short-distance tests (10 centimeters to 1 meter) of gravity using source (or proof) masses in the 100 kilogram range or higher. The distance between the gravitational sensor (i.e. atom interferometer) and the proof masses can be varied using appropriate translation stages. This measurement configuration will allow us to perform precision measurements of big G. [1] Rosi et al. (2014). Nature 510, 518-521. [2] Abe et al. (2021) Quantum Science and Technology 6, 044003. [3] Roura (2020). Physical Review X 10, 021014.
Atom interferometry is a quantum sensor technology that uses ultra-cold atoms placed in entangled quantum states to detect minute changes in local fields arising from gravitational waves and ultra-light dark matter. Their extreme sensitivity to accelerations has been demonstrated for measurements of Newton’s gravitation constant, tests of the Equivalence Principle, and measurement of local gravity gradients. The search for ultra-light dark matter and measurements of gravitational waves requires interferometer baselines greater than approximately 100 m. In understanding the fundamental systematics and backgrounds of these detectors, we have discovered that atmospheric and seismic effects, even though physically decoupled from the atoms which are in vacuum and free-fall, are still detectable by the quantum phase of the atoms. From a different perspective these “noise” sources are also interesting signals that we may be able to understand better with these sensor platforms leading to cross-disciplinary studies in Earth sciences.
We present two projects aiming to probe key aspects of the theory of General Relativity with high-precision quantum sensors. These projects use cold-atom interferometry with the aim of measuring gravitational waves and testing the equivalence principle. To detect gravitational waves, a large multi-sensor demonstrator is currently under construction that will exploit correlations between three atom interferometers spread along a 200 m optical cavity. Similarly, a test of the weak equivalence principle is currently underway using a compact and mobile dual-species interferometer, which will serve as a prototype for future high-precision tests onboard an orbiting satellite. We present recent results and improvements related to both projects.
Light-pulse atom interferometers are highly sensitive to inertial and gravitational effects. As such they are promising candidates for tests of gravitational physics. In this article the state-of-the-art and proposals for fundamental tests of gravity are reviewed. They include the measurement of the gravitational constant GGG, tests of the weak equivalence principle, direct searches of dark energy and gravitational-wave detection. Particular emphasis is put on long-time interferometry in microgravity environments accompanied by an enormous increase of sensitivity. In addition, advantages as well as disadvantages of Bose-Einstein condensates as atom sources are discussed.