Exploring gravity with the MIGA large scale atom interferometer

Abstract

We present the MIGA experiment, an underground long baseline atom interferometer to study gravity at large scale. The hybrid atom-laser antenna will use several atom interferometers simultaneously interrogated by the resonant mode of an optical cavity. The instrument will be a demonstrator for gravitational wave detection in a frequency band (100 mHz–1 Hz) not explored by classical ground and space-based observatories, and interesting for potential astrophysical sources. In the initial instrument configuration, standard atom interferometry techniques will be adopted, which will bring to a peak strain sensitivity of at 2 Hz. This demonstrator will enable to study the techniques to push further the sensitivity for the future development of gravitational wave detectors based on large scale atom interferometers. The experiment will be realized at the underground facility of the Laboratoire Souterrain à Bas Bruit (LSBB) in Rustrel–France, an exceptional site located away from major anthropogenic disturbances and showing very low background noise. In the following, we present the measurement principle of an in-cavity atom interferometer, derive the method for Gravitational Wave signal extraction from the antenna and determine the expected strain sensitivity. We then detail the functioning of the different systems of the antenna and describe the properties of the installation site.

SAGE: A proposal for a space atomic gravity explorer

“…Although the technology for the SAGE mission is not completely mature yet, it takes advantage of developments for the ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) [7,8] and CACES (Cold Atom Clock Experiment in Space) [9] missions and the results of ESA studies for SOC (Space Optical Clock) [10,11,12], SAI (Space Atom Interferometer) [13,14], SAGAS (Search for Anomalous Gravitation using Atomic Sensors) [15], STE-QUEST (Space-Time Explorer and QUantum Equivalence principle Space Test) [16,17], and other ongoing or planned projects on ground [18,19,20] and in space [21,22,23,24]. This paper is organized as follows: for the main goals of the SAGE mission, Section 2 briefly introduces the science case, in Section 3 the scientific requirements are discussed in detail, Section 4 describes the measurement concept.…”

A fibered laser system for the MIGA large scale atom interferometer

“…Such requirements stand at the frontier of industrial and laboratory grade qualities: these devices need to be stable, be remote controlled, and have the possibility of mass-production while maintaining flexibility and high performance. The Matter wave-laser based Interferometer Gravitation Antenna (MIGA) 1 , is a large scientific instrument presently under construction at the Laboratoire Souterrain à Bas Bruit (LSBB) 2 in Rustrel, France. MIGA is based on an array of atom interferometers simultaneously manipulated by a resonant light field circulating in a 150 m optical cavity, creating a state-of-the-art gradiometer.…”

“…It is also required to provide all laser frequencies needed for a detection system based on fluorescence. (1), the high power EDFA controllers (2), a combined unit of RF components and temperature servos (3), a dedicated microwave frequency unit (4), cubbyholes for the lasers and associated electronics (5), the 2D MOT micro-optic module with integrated PPLN crystal and shutter (6), 3D MOT micro-optic module with integrated AOMs, PPLN crystal, and shutters (7), and the Raman/Repump micro-optic modules with integrated AOMs, PPLN crystals, and shutters (8). (b) Seed lasers locking frequencies relative to 87 Rb D 2 transitions.…”

Orbit design and thruster requirement for various constant arm space mission concepts for gravitational-wave observation

“…11 Other low or middle frequency space detection methods under conceptual study are: AIGSO (Atom Interferometric Gravitational-wave Space Observatory), 12,13 AMIGO (Astrodynamical Middle-frequency Interferometric GW Observatory), 14,15 ASTROD-GW, [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] BBO, 24 B-DECIGO, 25,26 DECIGO, 26,27 Super-ASTROD, 28 other AI (atom interferometry) proposals, [29][30][31] and optical clock tracking proposals. [32][33][34][35] In the middle frequency band, there are a few ground-based proposals -MIGA, 36,37 SOGRO, 38,39 TOBA, 40,41 and ZAIGA. 42 To have significant sensitivity in the frequency band 0.1-10 Hz and yet to be a first-generation candidate for space GW missions, we have proposed a middlefrequency GW mission AMIGO.…”