Berlin 2014 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 2: Matter wave optics I
Q 2.1: Vortrag
Montag, 17. März 2014, 10:30–10:45, DO26 208
Matter-wave interferometry of a free-falling nanoparticle — •James Bateman1, Muddassar Rashid1, David Hempston1, Jamie Vovrosh1, Stefan Nimmrichter2, Klaus Hornberger2, and Hendrik Ulbricht1 — 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, UK — 2Fakultät für Physik, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
We describe the theory, design choices, and experimental progress of a near-field matter-wave interferometer for 106 amu nanoparticles emanating from a point-like source and subject to a phase-grating. Using a phase-space description, and accounting for all relevant decoherence mechanisms, we find an experimentally feasible scenario in which to expect high-contrast fringes. Experimental components include: a UHV-compatible high-purity nanoparticle source; feedback stabilisation to strongly localise the particle; 355nm micro-Joule nano-second pulses; sub-100nm position resolution; interferometric stability over the 50cm free-fall distance. Observation of the predicted fringes will begin to constrain stochastic modifications to the Schrödinger equation. This simple, low-power geometry is well suited to future space-based experiments in which we anticipate accessing considerably higher masses.