Hannover 2016 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 27: Poster: Quantum Optics and Photonics II
Q 27.47: Poster
Tuesday, March 1, 2016, 16:30–19:00, Empore Lichthof
Quantum Test of the Universality of Free Fall — •Dipankar Nath, Henning Albers, Christian Meiners, Logan L. Richardson, Dennis Schlippert, Christian Schubert, Etienne Wodey, Wolfgang Ertmer, and Ernst M. Rasel — Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover
The Universality of Free Fall (UFF) is one of the constituents of the Einstein’s Equivalence Principle. Most modifications to quantum field theory to include gravity predict a violation of UFF. Tests of UFF have been carried out using macroscopic objects to verify the theory of general relativity with no violations observed so far [1]. A quantum test of the UFF is possible using atom interferometers. Test of the UFF at a 100 ppb uncertainty using two different atomic species, 39K and 87Rb has already been carried out [2]. We propose a test at ppb level uncertainty by correlating an atom interferometer with a seismometer along with the implementation of a common optical dipole trap to reduce systematic uncertainty. Test of the UFF up to a level of 1 part in 1013 is also under development. Attaining such small uncertainty will require the implementation of atom interferometry with long free fall times of the order of seconds . This entails the usage of very long baselines [3] along with the usage of alkaline-earth like species Ytterbium and novel experimental techniques.
[1] S. Schlamminger et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 041101 (2008)
[2] D. Schlippert et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 203002 (2014)
[3] J. Hartwig et al., New J. Phys. 17, 035011 (2015)