Measuring gravity by holding atoms

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2310.01344v1
• Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2023 17:07:54 GMT
• Title: Measuring gravity by holding atoms
• Authors: Cristian D. Panda, Matthew J. Tao, Miguel Ceja, Holger M\"uller
• Abstract summary: We optimize sensitivity of a lattice interferometer and use a system of signal inversions and switches to suppress and quantify systematic effects. This enables us to measure the attraction of a miniature source mass, ruling out the existence of screened dark energy theories. Further upgrades may enable measuring forces at sub-millimeter ranges, the gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect and the gravitational constant, compact gravimetry.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: Despite being the dominant force of nature on large scales, gravity remains relatively elusive to experimental measurement. Many questions remain, such as its behavior at small scales or its role in phenomena ascribed to dark matter and dark energy. Atom interferometers are powerful tools for probing Earth's gravity, the gravitational constant, dark energy theories and general relativity. However, they typically use atoms in free fall, which limits the measurement time to only a few seconds, and to even briefer intervals when measuring the interaction of the atoms with a stationary source mass. Recently, interferometers with atoms suspended for as long as 70 seconds in an optical lattice have been demonstrated. To keep the atoms from falling, however, the optical lattice must apply forces that are billion-fold as strong as the putative signals, so even tiny imperfections reduce sensitivity and generate complex systematic effects. As a result, lattice interferometers have yet to demonstrate precision and accuracy on par with their free fall counterparts and have yet to be used for precision measurement. Here, we optimize the sensitivity of a lattice interferometer and use a system of signal inversions and switches to suppress and quantify systematic effects. This enables us to measure the attraction of a miniature source mass, ruling out the existence of screened dark energy theories over their natural parameter space. More importantly, the combined accuracy of $6.2~\rm{nm/s}^2$ is four times as good as the best similar measurements with freely falling atoms, demonstrating the advantages of lattice interferometry in fundamental physics measurements. Further upgrades may enable measuring forces at sub-millimeter ranges, the gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect and the gravitational constant, compact gravimetry, and testing whether the gravitational field itself has quantum properties.

Related papers

• Essential role of destructive interference in the gravitationally induced entanglement [0.0]
  The present paper analyzes the gravitationally induced entanglement as a pure interference effect. The non-maximally entangled state can be extremely effective for experimental testing.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-01-09T12:24:32Z)
• Atomic interferometer based on optical tweezers [0.0]
  We propose and analyze a novel atomic interferometer that uses micro-optical traps (optical tweezers) to manipulate and control the motion of atoms. The new interferometer allows long probing time, sub micrometer positioning accuracy, and utmost flexibility in shaping of the atomic trajectory. We discuss two applications well-suited for the unique capabilities of the tweezer interferometer: the measurement of gravitational forces and the study of Casimir-Polder forces between atoms and surfaces.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-08-15T13:42:57Z)
• Decoherence from Long-Range Forces in Atom Interferometry [0.0]
  We study the effects on atomic coherence from hard-to-screen backgrounds due to baths of ambient particles with long-range forces. We find that these potential backgrounds are likely negligible for the next generation of interferometers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-05-06T04:24:11Z)
• Measuring space-time curvature using maximally path-entangled quantum states [0.0]
  gravitational aspects of quantum experiments performed so far can be explained either within Newtonian gravity or by Einstein's equivalence principle. We show that the entanglement-induced increase in sensitivity also holds for gravitationally-induced phases in Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-02-25T08:50:58Z)
• Light propagation and atom interferometry in gravity and dilaton fields [58.80169804428422]
  We study the modified propagation of light used to manipulate atoms in light-pulse atom interferometers. Their interference signal is dominated by the matter's coupling to gravity and the dilaton. We discuss effects from light propagation and the dilaton on different atom-interferometric setups.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-01-18T15:26:19Z)
• Resolving the gravitational redshift within a millimeter atomic sample [94.94540201762686]
  Einstein's theory of general relativity states that clocks at different gravitational potentials tick at different rates. We measure a linear frequency gradient consistent with the gravitational redshift within a single millimeter scale sample of ultracold strontium.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-09-24T23:58:35Z)
• Bose-Einstein condensates in microgravity and fundamental tests of gravity [0.0]
  Light-pulse atom interferometers are highly sensitive to inertial and gravitational effects. Light-pulse atom interferometers are promising candidates for tests of gravitational physics.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-07-08T09:37:42Z)
• Gravitational Redshift Tests with Atomic Clocks and Atom Interferometers [55.4934126700962]
  We characterize how the sensitivity to gravitational redshift violations arises in atomic clocks and atom interferometers. We show that contributions beyond linear order to trapping potentials lead to such a sensitivity of trapped atomic clocks. Guided atom interferometers are comparable to atomic clocks.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-04-29T15:07:40Z)
• Gravitational waves affect vacuum entanglement [68.8204255655161]
  The entanglement harvesting protocol is an operational way to probe vacuum entanglement. Using this protocol, it is demonstrated that while the transition probability of an individual atom is unaffected by the presence of a gravitational wave, the entanglement harvested by two atoms depends sensitively on the frequency of the gravitational wave. This suggests that the entanglement signature left by a gravitational wave may be useful in characterizing its properties, and potentially useful in exploring the gravitational-wave memory effect and gravitational-wave induced decoherence.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-06-19T18:01:04Z)
• Gravity Probe Spin: Prospects for measuring general-relativistic precession of intrinsic spin using a ferromagnetic gyroscope [51.51258642763384]
  An experimental test at the intersection of quantum physics and general relativity is proposed. The behavior of intrinsic spin in spacetime is an experimentally open question. A measurement is possible by using mm-scale ferromagnetic gyroscopes in orbit around the Earth.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-06-16T17:18:44Z)
• Atom-interferometric test of the universality of gravitational redshift and free fall [48.82541018696971]
  Light-pulse atom interferometers constitute powerful quantum sensors for inertial forces. We present a specific geometry which together with state transitions leads to a scheme that is sensitive to both violations of the universality of free fall and gravitational redshift.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-01-27T13:35:30Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.