Berlin 2014 – scientific programme

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GR: Fachverband Gravitation und Relativitätstheorie

GR 5: Experimental Gravitation II

GR 5.1: Talk

Monday, March 17, 2014, 14:45–15:05, SPA SR220

Towards a test of the Universality of Free Fall of atoms in microgravity — •Christian Vogt, Sascha Kulas, Andreas Resch, and Sven Herrmann — ZARM, Universität Bremen, Am Fallturm, 28259 Bremen

Today matter wave interferometry is an established tool to perform precision measurements in fundamental physics. One of the main limiting factors in such experiments is the finite free evolution time available for matter waves in a laboratory setup. Thus, the extended free fall time which can be achieved in a space mission is expected to be of great benefit to future matter wave precision measurements. First promising results towards this have been achieved by the QUANTUS collaboration in experiments at the Bremen drop tower. Within the PRIMUS project we aim to further explore this potential in a dedicated drop tower experiment. This experiment will consist of a dual species interferomer to compare the free fall of 87Rb and 39K. Ultimately it shall provide the opportunity to study the potential sensitivity and systematic effects of a future space mission to test the Einstein Equivalence Principle with ultra-cold atoms at enhanced precision. Here, we present the current status of our experiment and discuss the perspectives and attainable sensitivity of such a free fall test in the Bremen drop tower. The PRIMUS project is supported by the German Space Agency DLR with funds provided by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) under grant number DLR 50 WM 1142.