Mainz 2017 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 53: Poster: Quantum Optics and Photonics III

Q 53.30: Poster

Thursday, March 9, 2017, 17:00–19:00, P OG2

Realistic simulation of expansion dynamics of an ultracold gas for atom interferometry — •Srihari Srinivasan and Reinhold Walser — Institut für Angewandte Physik, TU Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 4a, 64289 Darmstadt

The versatility of Bose-Einstein Condensates (BEC) in experiments has given rise to an entire genre of topics ranging from quantum optics and condensed matter physics to quantum simulators and sensors. The QUANTUS collaboration [1] aims to use atom interferometry with an ultracold ⁸⁷Rb gas in a compact, rugged module that is either dropped or catapulted inside a vacuum drop tower at ZARM in Bremen [2]. The experiment aims to use atom interferometry in micro-gravity under free fall to test Einstein’s Equivalence Principle.

Expansion dynamics of a BEC is well understood analytically [3]. Interferometric fringe contrast of an expanding BEC is strongly influenced by the thermal component of the gas and anharmonicity of the release trap. We aim to realistically simulate the expansion of a BEC from the atom chip trap of QUANTUS-2 [1] by including elementary excitations and also anharmonicities of the release trap. This is done as part of a comprehensive simulation suite for a realistic atom interferometer being developed for comparison with experimental data.

[1] QUANTUS Collaboration:www.iqo.uni-hannover.de/quantus

[2] T. van Zoest et al., Science, 328, 1540 (2010) and H. Mütinga et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 110, 093602 (2013).

[3] Yu Kagan et al., Phys. Rev. A, 54(3), R1753 (1996) and Y Castin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 77(27), 5315 (1996).