Berlin 2001 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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Q: Quantenoptik
Q 1: Poster: Atom Optics
Q 1.4: Poster
Montag, 2. April 2001, 12:30–15:00, AT2
Sagnac Interferometry with Cold Atoms — •Christian Jentsch, Ernst M. Rasel, and Wolfgang Ertmer — Institut für Quantenoptik, Universität Hannover, Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover, Germany
In recent years, matter wave interferometry has lead to the most sensitive devices for measuring frequencies as well as inertial forces. Today the best matter wave sensors provide sensitivities up to 10−9 g for accelerations [1] or 6 × 10−10 rad/s for rotations [2] respectively.
We present the novel design of our Cold Atom Sagnac Interferometer (CASI). This Mach-Zehnder type interferometer uses two counter-propagating beams of cold Rubidium atoms. Coherent control of matter waves for beam splitting and recombination is based on optical Raman transitions. Long drift times as needed for the projected short-term sensitivity of 1 × 10−10 rad/s will be achieved with slow atoms with a forward velocity of 1 m/s. The set-up is flexible enough such that the length of the interferometer can be varied from 3 to 40 cm.
The compact and transportable design makes it possible to compare the sensor with other gyroscopes and to use it as a prototype for satellite based matter wave sensors such as HYPER [3].
[1] A. Peters, K.Y. Chung, and S. Chu, Nature 400, 849 (1999)
[2] T.L. Gustavson, A. Landragin, and M.A. Kasevich, Class. Quantum Grav. 17, 2385 (2000)
[3] HYPER, Assessment study report, ESA-SCI(2000)10