Canceling the Gravity Gradient Phase Shift in Atom Interferometry

Year: 2017

Authors: D\’Amico G., Rosi G., Zhan S., Cacciapuoti L., Fattori M., Tino G.M.

Autors Affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia and LENS, Università di Firenze, INFN Sezione di Firenze, via Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino (FI), I-50019, Italy; European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, Netherlands; ICPT, Trieste, Italy; CNR, IFAC, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

Abstract: Gravity gradients represent a major obstacle in high-precision measurements by atom interferometry. Controlling their effects to the required stability and accuracy imposes very stringent requirements on the relative positioning of freely falling atomic clouds, as in the case of precise tests of Einstein\’s equivalence principle. We demonstrate a new method to exactly compensate the effects introduced by gravity gradients in a Raman-pulse atom interferometer. By shifting the frequency of the Raman lasers during the central p pulse, it is possible to cancel the initial position- and velocity-dependent phase shift produced by gravity gradients. We apply this technique to simultaneous interferometers positioned along the vertical direction and demonstrate a new method for measuring local gravity gradients that does not require precise knowledge of the relative position between the atomic clouds. Based on this method, we also propose an improved scheme to determine the Newtonian gravitational constant G towards the 10 ppm relative uncertainty.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

Volume: 119 (25)      Pages from: 253201-1  to: 253201-6

KeyWords: Interferometers; Interferometry; Relativity, Atom interferometer; Atom interferometry; Einstein\’s equivalence principle; Gravitational constant; High-precision measurement; Relative positioning; Relative uncertainty; Stringent requirement, Atoms
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.253201

Citations: 58
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