Space-borne Bose–Einstein condensation for precision interferometry

Dennis Becker, Maike D. Lachmann, Stephan T. Seidel, Holger Ahlers, Aline N. Dinkelaker, Jens Grosse, Ortwin Hellmig, Hauke Müntinga, Vladimir Schkolnik, Thijs Wendrich, André Wenzlawski, Benjamin Weps, Robin Corgier, Tobias Franz, Naceur Gaaloul, Waldemar Herr, Daniel Lüdtke, Manuel Popp, Sirine Amri, Hannes Duncker, Maik Erbe, Anja Kohfeldt, André Kubelka-Lange, Claus Braxmaier, Eric Charron, Wolfgang Ertmer, Markus Krutzik, Claus Lämmerzahl, Achim Peters, Wolfgang P. Schleich, Klaus Sengstock, Reinhold Walser, Andreas Wicht, Patrick Windpassinger and Ernst M. Rasel ()
Additional contact information
Dennis Becker: Leibniz University Hannover
Maike D. Lachmann: Leibniz University Hannover
Stephan T. Seidel: Leibniz University Hannover
Holger Ahlers: Leibniz University Hannover
Aline N. Dinkelaker: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Jens Grosse: University of Bremen
Ortwin Hellmig: University Hamburg
Hauke Müntinga: University of Bremen
Vladimir Schkolnik: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Thijs Wendrich: Leibniz University Hannover
André Wenzlawski: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU)
Benjamin Weps: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Robin Corgier: Leibniz University Hannover
Tobias Franz: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Naceur Gaaloul: Leibniz University Hannover
Waldemar Herr: Leibniz University Hannover
Daniel Lüdtke: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Manuel Popp: Leibniz University Hannover
Sirine Amri: CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay
Hannes Duncker: University Hamburg
Maik Erbe: Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik
Anja Kohfeldt: Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik
André Kubelka-Lange: University of Bremen
Claus Braxmaier: University of Bremen
Eric Charron: CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay
Wolfgang Ertmer: Leibniz University Hannover
Markus Krutzik: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Claus Lämmerzahl: University of Bremen
Achim Peters: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Wolfgang P. Schleich: Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST)
Klaus Sengstock: University Hamburg
Reinhold Walser: Technische Universität Darmstadt
Andreas Wicht: Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik
Patrick Windpassinger: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU)
Ernst M. Rasel: Leibniz University Hannover

Nature, 2018, vol. 562, issue 7727, 391-395

Abstract: Abstract Owing to the low-gravity conditions in space, space-borne laboratories enable experiments with extended free-fall times. Because Bose–Einstein condensates have an extremely low expansion energy, space-borne atom interferometers based on Bose–Einstein condensation have the potential to have much greater sensitivity to inertial forces than do similar ground-based interferometers. On 23 January 2017, as part of the sounding-rocket mission MAIUS-1, we created Bose–Einstein condensates in space and conducted 110 experiments central to matter-wave interferometry, including laser cooling and trapping of atoms in the presence of the large accelerations experienced during launch. Here we report on experiments conducted during the six minutes of in-space flight in which we studied the phase transition from a thermal ensemble to a Bose–Einstein condensate and the collective dynamics of the resulting condensate. Our results provide insights into conducting cold-atom experiments in space, such as precision interferometry, and pave the way to miniaturizing cold-atom and photon-based quantum information concepts for satellite-based implementation. In addition, space-borne Bose–Einstein condensation opens up the possibility of quantum gas experiments in low-gravity conditions1,2.

Keywords: Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC); Matter Wave Interferometry; Thermal Ensemble; Atom Chip; Final Radio Frequency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0605-1

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