LEAPS-MPS: Simultaneous Multiaxis Atom Interferometry for Inertial Sensing

物质波干涉仪使用光子反冲动量来分解、反射和组合物质波，是测量引力和惯性力的精确工具。与传统的惯性传感器相比，基于物波干涉的量子惯性传感器在测量加速度和旋转方面表现出了前所未有的灵敏度和长期稳定性。最先进的量子惯性传感器的局限性是对惯性参考系的全轴不敏感，数据更新速度慢，以及对振动噪声的脆弱性。在这个项目中，吴博士将展示能够同时测量多个加速轴或旋转轴的物波干涉仪，并有可能推动量子惯性传感器用于未来的现场惯性传感和导航。吴博士将使用激光冷却将Rb原子囚禁在金字塔镜内，并使用多轴拉曼激光脉冲对冷原子进行多轴干涉测量。通过这个项目，吴博士将开发出冷却棱锥镜内原子的方法，将物质波分裂为多个叠加态，并检测叠加态。吴博士还将实施教育活动，鼓励来自代表性不足群体的学生加入实验物理研究，教授他们动手实验室技能，并为正在进行的第二次量子革命做好准备。在这个项目中，吴博士将开发一种方法并建造一台仪器来演示四台同时测量多轴加速度和旋转的原子干涉仪。吴博士将通过金字塔镜内的磁光陷阱创建一个冰冷的Rb云，然后利用入射激光与金字塔镜反射形成的同时拉曼跃迁来分裂、反射和组合原子云。吴博士的目标是实现三个研究目标：(1)展示金字塔反射镜内部的亚反冲温度冷却；(2)展示入射激光及其金字塔反射形成的同时的多普勒敏感拉曼跃迁；(3)通过基于光纤的纳米成像系统检测多原子干涉仪。此外，吴博士将通过开发量子传感课程、建立开源Makerspace以及为本科生和高中生创建研究职位来促进参与实验原子物理研究的未被充分代表的群体的学生。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Matter-wave interferometers, using photon recoil momentum to split, reflect, and combine matter waves, are precise tools for measuring gravitational and inertial forces. Compared with classical inertial sensors, quantum inertial sensors based on matter-wave interferometry have shown unprecedented sensitivity and long-term stability in measuring accelerations and rotations. The state-of-the-art quantum inertial sensors are limited by the insensitivity to full axes of the inertial reference frame, the slow data update rates, and the vulnerability to vibrational noise. In this project, Dr. Wu will demonstrate matter-wave interferometers that are capable of simultaneously measuring multiple axes of accelerations or rotations, with the potential to advance quantum inertial sensors for future in-field inertial sensing and navigation. Dr. Wu will use laser cooling to trap rubidium atoms inside a pyramidal mirror and use multiaxis Raman laser pulses to carry out multiaxis interferometry of the cold atoms. Through this project, Dr. Wu will develop methods to cool the atoms inside pyramidal mirrors, split matter waves into multiple superposition states, and detect the superposition states. Dr. Wu will also implement educational activities to encourage students from underrepresented groups to join experimental physics research, teach them hands-on lab skills, and prepare them for the ongoing second quantum revolution. In this project, Dr. Wu will develop an approach and build an apparatus to demonstrate four simultaneous atom interferometers for measuring multiaxis accelerations and rotations. Dr. Wu will create a cold rubidium cloud via a magneto-optical trap inside a pyramidal mirror, and then split, reflect, and combine the atomic cloud using simultaneous Raman transitions formed by the incident laser beam and its reflections from the pyramidal mirror. Dr. Wu aims to achieve three research objectives: (1) demonstrating sub-recoil temperature cooling inside a pyramidal mirror; (2) demonstrating simultaneous Doppler-sensitive Raman transitions formed by the incident laser beam and its pyramidal reflections; (3) detecting multiple atom interferometers through an optical nanofiber-based imaging system. Additionally, Dr. Wu will promote students from underrepresented groups participating in experimental atomic physics research by developing a quantum sensing course, establishing an open-source Makerspace, and creating research positions for undergraduates and high school students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.