New generation of high sensitivity atom interferometers

AISENS

Funded by: European Commission – European Research Council (ERC)  
Calls: VII Programma Quadro
Start date: 2012-01-01  End date: 2015-12-31
Total Budget: EUR 1.068.000,00  INO share of the total budget: EUR 1.068.000,00
Scientific manager: Fattori Marco   and for INO is: Fattori Marco

Organization/Institution/Company main assignee: CNR – Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO)

other Organization/Institution/Company involved:
European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS)

other INO’s people involved:

Trenkwalder Andreas


Abstract: The goal of this project is the development of an atom interferometer using ultra-cold gases, trapped in a double well potential. Implementing magnetic Feshbach resonances it is possible to tune the atomic interaction to zero and suppress the interaction induced decoherence of the interferometer by several order of magnitude. In addition exploiting positive and negative interactions it is possible to produce quantum entangled states that offer phase resolution better than the shot noise limit. The developed sensor is potentially the ideal candidate for measurement of forces and electromagnetic fields with spatial resolution below one micron. Finally the apparatus under construction is ideal for the production of maximally entangled states with macroscopic atom numbers, like the NOON or the Phase Cat states.

The Scientific Results:
1) Direct evaporative cooling of 39K atoms to Bose-Einstein condensation
2) Test of the Universality of the Three-Body Efimov Parameter at Narrow Feshbach Resonances
3) Phase-noise protection in quantum-enhanced differential interferometry
4) Quantum phase transitions with parity-symmetry breaking and hysteresis