Hannover 2016 – scientific programme
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A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 1: Precision Measurements and Metrology I (with Q)
A 1.4: Talk
Monday, February 29, 2016, 11:45–12:00, a310
Precision rubidium spectroscopy in space — •Vladimir Schkolnik1, Markus Krutzik1, Achim Peters1,2, and The FOKUS Team1,2,3,4,5 — 1Institut für Physik, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin — 2Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik, Berlin — 3ILP, Universität Hamburg — 4Institut für Physik, JGU Mainz — 5Menlo Systems, Martinsried
Frequency stabilized lasers are one of the key elements in high precision instruments such as atom interferometers and atomic clocks. Accordingly, future space missions for tests of the equivalence principle require robust and compact lasers with high mechanical and frequency stability.
In this talk, we present the first Doppler free spectroscopy on rubidium in space, performed during the flight of the sounding rocket mission TEXUS 51. We present the spectroscopy payload, the autonomous stabilization scheme and the experimental results of the flight. The frequency of the stabilized laser was compared to a microwave reference using a fiber based frequency comb during launch and microgravity phase. This frequency measurement can be interpreted as a test of the local position invariance and paves the way for future high precision experiments in space.
This work is supported by the German Space Agency DLR with funds provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy under grant numbers DLR 50WM 1237-1240, and 1345.