Taking atom interferometric quantum sensors from the laboratory to real-world applications

Bongs, Kai; Holynski, Michael; Vovrosh, Jamie; Bouyer, Philippe; Condon, Gabriel; Rasel, Ernst M.; Schubert, Christian; Schleich, Wolfgang P.; Roura, Albert

doi:10.1038/s42254-019-0117-4

Cited by 324 publications

(218 citation statements)

References 134 publications

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“…For example, [38] considers how a measurement of the Berry phase acquired by an accelerating detector may allow for a measurement of the Unruh effect at significantly lower accelerations than ordinarily required. In that paper, the authors propose an inprinciple atomic interferometry setup [39] which causes the detector to travel in a superposition of an inertial and accelerated path. In [40,41], the authors consider another in-principle setup where single UdW detectors are sent through a beamsplitter which allows them to extract unknown information localized to cavities along the respective arms.…”

Section: A a Note On The Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unruh-deWitt detectors in quantum superpositions of trajectories

2020

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Unruh-deWitt detectors have been utilized widely as probes for quantum particles, entanglement and spacetime curvature. Here, we extend the standard treatment of an Unruh-deWitt detector interacting with a massless, scalar field to include the detector traveling in a quantum superposition of classical trajectories. We derive perturbative expressions for the final state of the detector, and show that it depends on field correlation functions evaluated locally along the individual trajectories, as well as nonlocally between the superposed trajectories. By applying our general approach to a detector traveling in a superposition of two uniformly accelerated trajectories, including those with equal and differing proper accelerations, we discover novel interference effects in the emission and absorption spectra. These effects can be traced to causal relations between the superposed trajectories. Finally, we show that in general, such a detector does not thermalize even if the superposed paths would individually yield the same thermal state.

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Section: A a Note On The Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unruh-deWitt detectors in quantum superpositions of trajectories

2020

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“…Cold atom sensors have the potential to offer huge benefits both on Earth and in space. On the ground, cold atom gravity sensors may have use in civil engineering [7] applications such as detecting hazards and features under the ground such as pipes, disused mineshafts or sinkholes; other uses include oil and gas exploration [7]. In space, cold atom gravity sensors could be used to carry out Earth observation to detect and understand mass transport processes [8] which could lead to significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of and ability to monitor key components of the Earth system such as sea level, ice sheet melting and aquifer depletion.…”

Section: Cold Atoms As Sensorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity sensing: cold atom trap onboard a 6U CubeSat

et al. 2020

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“Cold atoms” can be used as ultra-sensitive sensors for measuring accelerations and are capable of mapping changes in the strength of gravity across the surface of the Earth. They could offer significant benefits to existing space based gravity sensing capabilities. Gravity sensors in space are already used for many Earth observation applications including monitoring polar ice mass, ocean currents and sea level. Cold atom sensors could enable higher resolution measurements which would allow monitoring of smaller water sources and discovery of new underground natural resources which are currently undetectable. The adoption of cold atom technology is constrained by low technology readiness level (TRL). Teledyne e2v and its partners are addressing this maturity gap through project Cold Atom Space PAyload (CASPA) which is an Innovate UK and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project, involving the University of Birmingham as science lead, XCAM, Clyde Space, Covesion, Gooch & Housego, and the University of Southampton. Through the CASPA project the consortium have built and vibration tested a 6U (approximate dimensions: 100 × 200 × 300 mm) cube Satellite (CubeSat) that is capable of laser cooling atoms down to 100’s of micro kelvin, as a pre-cursor to gravity sensors for future Earth observation missions.

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“…An alternative approach is to seek robust Raman augmentation pulses that retain high fringe visibility for large momentum separations while enabling the use of large thermal atomic samples and electronic state readout adopted by many inertial sensor prototypes [27,28]. Composite [29,30] and adiabatic rapid passage (ARP) [31] Raman pulses have been used to achieve momentum splittings of 18 k [14] and 30 k [15] respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biselective pulses for large-area atom interferometry

et al. 2020

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We present designs for the augmentation mirror pulses of large-momentum-transfer atom interferometers that maintain their fidelity as the wavepacket momentum difference is increased. These bi-selective pulses, tailored using optimal control methods to the evolving bi-modal momentum distribution, should allow greater interferometer areas and hence increased inertial measurement sensitivity, without requiring elevated Rabi frequencies or extended frequency chirps. Using an experimentally validated model, we have simulated the application of our pulse designs to large-momentum-transfer atom interferometry using stimulated Raman transitions in a laser-cooled atomic sample of 85 Rb at 1 µK. After the wavepackets have separated by 42 photon recoil momenta, our pulses maintain a fringe contrast of 90% whereas, for adiabatic rapid passage and conventional π pulses, the contrast is less than 10%. Furthermore, we show how these pulses may be adapted to be robust to laser intensity variations between pulses and to suppress the detrimental off-resonant excitation that limits other broadband pulse schemes.

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Taking atom interferometric quantum sensors from the laboratory to real-world applications

Cited by 324 publications

References 134 publications

Unruh-deWitt detectors in quantum superpositions of trajectories

Unruh-deWitt detectors in quantum superpositions of trajectories

Gravity sensing: cold atom trap onboard a 6U CubeSat

Biselective pulses for large-area atom interferometry

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