Heidelberg 2015 – scientific programme

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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 3: Precision Measurements and Metrology I (with Q)

A 3.5: Talk

Monday, March 23, 2015, 12:30–12:45, G/gHS

Atom interferometry with Bose-Einstein condensate on sounding rockets — •Stephan Tobias Seidel, Dennis Becker, Maike Diana Lachmann, Jung-Bin Wang, Thijs Wendrich, Ernst Marial Rasel, and Wolfgang Ertmer for the QUANTUS collaboration — Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover, Germany

One of the fundamental principles of nature is the universality of free fall. A precise test for this postulate is the comparison of the free fall of ultra-cold clouds of different atomic species and its readout using atom interferometry. In order to increase the precision of such an interferometer the space-time-area enclosed in it has to be increased. This can be achieved by performing the experiments in a weightless environment.

As a step towards the transfer of such a system in space three rocket-based atom interferometer missions are currently being prepared. The launch of the first mission, aimed at the demonstration of a BEC in space for the first time and using this quantum degenerate matter as a source for atom interferometry is planned for May 2015. It is followed by two more missions that will include the creation of degenerate mixtures in space and simultaneous atom interferometry with two atomic species. Their success would mark a major advancement towards a precise measurement of the equivalence principle with a space-born atom interferometer.

QUANTUS is supported by the German Space Agency DLR under grant number DLR 50 1131-37.