Pathfinder experiments with atom interferometry in the Cold Atom Lab onboard the International Space Station

Jason R. Williams (), Charles A. Sackett (), Holger Ahlers, David C. Aveline, Patrick Boegel, Sofia Botsi, Eric Charron, Ethan R. Elliott, Naceur Gaaloul, Enno Giese, Waldemar Herr, James R. Kellogg, James M. Kohel, Norman E. Lay, Matthias Meister, Gabriel Müller, Holger Müller, Kamal Oudrhiri, Leah Phillips, Annie Pichery, Ernst M. Rasel, Albert Roura, Matteo Sbroscia, Wolfgang P. Schleich, Christian Schneider, Christian Schubert, Bejoy Sen, Robert J. Thompson and Nicholas P. Bigelow ()
Additional contact information
Jason R. Williams: California Institute of Technology
Charles A. Sackett: University of Virginia
Holger Ahlers: Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing
David C. Aveline: California Institute of Technology
Patrick Boegel: Ulm University
Sofia Botsi: California Institute of Technology
Eric Charron: Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay
Ethan R. Elliott: California Institute of Technology
Naceur Gaaloul: QUEST-Leibniz Research School
Enno Giese: Institut für Angewandte Physik
Waldemar Herr: Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing
James R. Kellogg: California Institute of Technology
James M. Kohel: California Institute of Technology
Norman E. Lay: California Institute of Technology
Matthias Meister: Institute of Quantum Technologies
Gabriel Müller: QUEST-Leibniz Research School
Holger Müller: University of California
Kamal Oudrhiri: California Institute of Technology
Leah Phillips: California Institute of Technology
Annie Pichery: Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay
Ernst M. Rasel: QUEST-Leibniz Research School
Albert Roura: Institute of Quantum Technologies
Matteo Sbroscia: California Institute of Technology
Wolfgang P. Schleich: Ulm University
Christian Schneider: California Institute of Technology
Christian Schubert: Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing
Bejoy Sen: University of Virginia
Robert J. Thompson: California Institute of Technology
Nicholas P. Bigelow: Center for Coherence and Quantum Optics, University of Rochester

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Deployment of ultracold atom interferometers (AI) into space will capitalize on quantum advantages and the extended freefall of persistent microgravity to provide high-precision measurement capabilities for gravitational, Earth, and planetary sciences, and to enable searches for subtle forces signifying physics beyond General Relativity and the Standard Model. NASA’s Cold Atom Lab (CAL) operates onboard the International Space Station as a multi-user facility for fundamental studies of ultracold atoms and to mature space-based quantum technologies. We report on pathfinding experiments utilizing ultracold 87Rb atoms in the CAL AI. A three-pulse Mach–Zehnder interferometer was studied to understand the influence of ISS vibrations. Additionally, Ramsey shear-wave interferometry was used to manifest interference patterns in a single run that were observable for over 150 ms free-expansion time. Finally, the CAL AI was used to remotely measure the Bragg laser photon recoil as a demonstration of the first quantum sensor using matter-wave interferometry in space.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50585-6

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