Project summary
Atom interferometers are more and more developing from laboratory prototypes towards inertial sensors with multi-disciplinary applications on ground and in space. They represent a method for realizing nearly ideal free falling inertial reference systems to measure inertial and gravitational forces with highest sensitivity and accuracy. Inertial sensors are at the heart of many experiments in fundamental physics (e.g. in the space based gravity wave detector LISA, novel tests of the equivalence principle, measurements of the gravitational constant G, Cavendish type experiments searching for additional gravitational strength forces at short distances, redefinition of the Kilogram using a Watt balance, …), which strive to measure accelerations in the femto-g range. They also play an important role in navigation and geodesy, or generally in Earth observation. Current state of the art inertial sensors, either of atomic or photonic nature, measure gravity with an accuracy of a few parts in 109. The demonstrated long term stabilities (at timescales of 103 to 104 s) for cold atom gyroscopes are 10-8 rad/s. The ultimate limitations of these devices are still not known, new techniques and concepts are still emerging. Examples are atom lasers and other sources of degenerate quantum gases, where the potential for applications in high precision measurement is yet to be explored. Moreover, fundamental questions regarding the relative merits of using bosonic degenerate gases, where interaction can affect the measurements, versus Fermi degenerate gases, where kinetic energy shifts can dominate, are unanswered.
Our collaborative research project investigates the ultimate potential of inertial atomic and photonic quantum standards and their applications in earth observation and fundamental physics. Within the consortium leading scientists working on atomic and photonic quantum sensors will collaborate with experts in earth observation in an international frame. Research by the consortium will be based on a unique blend of state-of the- art atomic and photonic inertial sensors, such as gravimeters and gyroscopes. The CRP addresses both, the quantum standards aspect and the aspect of multi-disciplinary applications of quantum engineering.
Project Leader
Professor Wolfgang Ertmer
Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Principal Investigators
Dr Thomas Bourdel
Institut d’Optique Graduate School, Palisseau, France
Dr Marella de Angelis
Instituto di Cibernetica - CNR, Pozzuoli, Italy
Dr Arnaud Landragin
Observatoire de Paris, SYRTE, Paris, France
Professor Achim Peters
Institute for Physics, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
Professor Pierre Thomann
LTF-IMT of University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Dr Philippe Bouyer
Institut d’Optique Graduate School, Laboratoire Charles Fabry, Groupe ’Optique Atomique, Palisseau, France
Dr Jurgen Müller
University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Associated Partners
Dr Daniele Carbone
Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Volcanologia, sez. di Catania, Italy
Professor Robert Dunn
Hendrix College, Conway, United States
Professor Mark Kasevich
Stanford University, Stanford, United States
Professor Lijun Wang
Institute of Optics, Information and Photonics, University of Erlangen-Nürenberg, Erlangen, Germany
Professor Ulrich Schreiber
Technische Universität Münich, Koetzting, Germany
Dr Guglielmo Maria Tino
Dipartimento di Fisica and LENS Laboratory, Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
Professor Nan Yu
Quantum Science and Technology Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, United States
Project Partners
Dr Michel Diament
Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Paris, France
Dr Gilberto Saccorotti
Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Volcanologia, sez. di Pisa, Italy
