Freiburg 2024 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 54: Quantum Optics in Space
Q 54.2: Talk
Thursday, March 14, 2024, 14:45–15:00, HS 3219
Space Magnetic Gradiometry using Atom Interferometers — •Gabriel Müller1, Timothé Estrampes1,2, Annie Pichery1,2, Nicholas P. Bigelow3, Naceur Gaaloul1, and the CUAS Consortium3 — 1Leibniz University Hannover, Germany — 2Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay, Université Paris-Saclay, France — 3University of Rochester, USA
Quantum Sensing is becoming a valuable tool for several applications such as gravity sensing, inertial navigation or magnetometry. Atom Interferometry (AI), a pillar of quantum sensing, has been successfully demonstrated in the lab and field settings.
Here, we report on pioneering AI experiments operated in NASA’s Cold Atom Lab (CAL) onboard the International Space Station [E. Elliott et al., Nature 623, 502 (2023)]. In this unique microgravity environment, we prepare 87Rb condensed clouds and utilise them in various atom interferometric schemes. This allows to measure local magnetic potential curvatures and detect tiny residual differential magnetic forces, thereby outperforming the sensitivity of classical methods.
These results pave the way to future Space missions leveraging AI sensors such as for Space Magnetometry. Moreover, we discuss strategies to overcome current sensitivity-limiting factors by improving the AI laser beam optical quality or the atom number as planned for the recently installed CAL upgrade Science Module SM3B.
Acknowledgements: Funded by the German Space Agency (DLR) with funds under Grant No. 50WM2245A (CAL-II).
Keywords: Atom Interferometry; Space; Bose Einstein condensates; Gravity gradients; Magnetometry