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The Bose-Einstein Condensate and Cold Atom Laboratory

Kai Frye-Arndt, Sven Abend, Wolfgang Bartosch, Ahmad Bawamia, Dennis Becker, Holger Blume, Claus Braxmaier, Sheng‐wey Chiow, Maxim A. Efremov, Wolfgang A. Ertmer, P. Fierlinger, Tobias Franz, Naceur Gaaloul, Jens Große, Christoph Grzeschik, Ortwin Hellmig, Victoria Henderson, Waldemar Herr, ULF E. ISRAELSSON, James M. Kohel, Markus Krutzik, Christian Kürbis, Cláus Lämmerzahl, Meike List, Daniel Lüdtke, Nathan E. Lundblad, Jean Pierre Marburger, Matthias Meister, Moritz Mihm, Holger Müller, Hauke Müntinga, Ayush Mani Nepal, Tim Oberschulte, Papakonstantinou, Alexandros, Jaka Perovs̆ek, Achim Peters, Arnau Prat, Ernst Maria Rasel, Albert Roura, Matteo Sbroscia, Wolfgang P. Schleich, Christian Schubert, Stephan Seidel, Jan Sommer, Christian Spindeldreier, Dan Stamper-Kurn, Benjamin Stuhl, Warner, Marvin, Thijs Wendrich, André Wenzlawski, Andreas Wicht, Patrick Windpassinger, Nan Yu, Lisa Wörner

Published Jan 1, 2021• 38 citations

DOI: 10.15488/10339

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The Bose-Einstein Condensate and Cold Atom Laboratory (BECCAL) is a DLR-NASA collaboration targeting the operation of a multi-user facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS). BECCAL will be a pathfinder mission to test concepts of future quantum sensors with applications in e.g. gravity missions for earth observation and search for a violation of the universality of free fall. It will feature various capabilities for quantum-optical, atom-optical, and atom-interferometric manipulation methods of laser-cooled atoms and notably Bose-Einstein condensates. The persistent microgravity condition aboard the ISS opens the opportunity for enhanced free-fall times, overlapping multi-species trap configurations impossible on earth thanks to the lack of gravitational sag, and repeatability for detailed statistical analysis. In this contribution the design implementation of these capabilities will be presented and derived performance estimates will be discussed. The BECCAL payload is designed and constructed by the BECCAL Collaboration comprising the DLR Institute of Quantum Technology, the DLR Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing, the DLR Institute for Software Technology, the Leibniz Universität Hannover, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, the Ferdinand Braun Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik, the Universität Bremen, the Universtität Hamburg, the Universität Ulm, and OHB System AG, with funding support by the DLR Space Agency.

Abstract Microgravity eases several constraints limiting experiments with ultracold and condensed atoms on ground. It enables extended times of flight without suspension and eliminates the gravitational sag for trapped atoms. These advantages motivated numerous initiatives to adapt and operate experimental setups on microgravity platforms. We describe the design of the payload, motivations for design choices, and capabilities of the Bose-Einstein Condensate and Cold Atom Laboratory (BECCAL), a NASA-DLR collaboration. BECCAL builds on the heritage of previous devices operated in microgravity, features rubidium and potassium, multiple options for magnetic and optical trapping, different methods for coherent manipulation, and will offer new perspectives for experiments on quantum optics, atom optics, and atom interferometry in the unique microgravity environment on board the International Space Station.