Dresden 2011 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 25: Matter Wave Optics
Q 25.1: Talk
Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 10:30–10:45, BAR Schön
Quantum test of the equivalence principle with dual species atom interferometry — •Daniel Tiarks, Jonas Hartwig, Dennis Schlippert, Ulrich Velte, Maic Zaiser, Vyacheslav Lebedev, Ernst Rasel, and Wolfgang Ertmer — Institut für Quantenoptik, Hannover
The CAPRICE experiment is aiming for a test of the equivalence principle using atom interferometry
with two atomic species. For this test we trap and cool rubidium and potassium atoms in a two-stage loading scheme using a 2D/3D MOT. Both atomic ensembles are then dropped for a simultaneous differential measurement of the Earth’s gravitation g. This setup allows us to make systematic studies
concerning the comparison of interferometry with bosonic and fermionic matter and
the metrological comparison of two different gravimeters at the same place and in the
same experimental environment. A very compact diode laser system is used for cooling and coherently manipulating the atomic clouds. We will show a characterisation of the present detection system as well as first studies of gravitational measurements using 87Rb.
To guarantee well defined starting conditions the two species will be trapped in an optical dipole trap formed by a Thulium doped fiber laser with 50 W output power at a wavelength of 1960 nm. The special properties of this optical dipole trap allow for fast and efficient cooling.