Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help
A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 32: Precision Measurements: Atom Interferometry II (joint session Q/A)
A 32.4: Talk
Friday, March 10, 2023, 15:15–15:30, F342
Atom interferometry on the International Space Station — •Matthias Meister1, Naceur Gaaloul2, Nicholas P. Bigelow3, and the CUAS team1,2,3,4 — 1German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Quantum Technologies, Ulm, Germany — 2Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Quantum Optics, QUESTLeibniz Research School, Hanover, Germany — 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA — 4Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology IQST, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
Matter-wave interferometers based on Bose-Einstein condensates are exquisite tools for precision measurements, relativistic geodesy, and Earth observation. Employing this quantum technology in space further increases the sensitivity of the measurements due to the extended free fall times enabled by microgravity. Here we report on a series of experiments performed with NASA’s Cold Atom Lab aboard the ISS demonstrating atom interferometers with different geometries in orbit. By comparing measurements with atoms in magnetic sensitive and insensitive states we have realized atomic magnetometers mapping the residual magnetic background in the apparatus. Our results pave the way towards future quantum sensing missions with cold atoms in space.
This work is supported by NASA/JPL through RSA No. 1616833 and the DLR Space Administration with funds provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) under grant numbers 50WM1861-2 and 50WM2245-A/B.