Differential atom interferometry and velocity selection using the clock transition of strontium atoms for AION

AION 中使用锶原子时钟跃迁的微分原子干涉测量和速度选择

• 批准号: ST/W006332/1
• 负责人: Oliver Buchmueller
• 金额: $ 11.67万
• 依托单位: Imperial College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FW006332%2F1
• 关键词: Differential; atom; interferometry; velocity; selection

The technology developed in this programme will enhance atom interferometry in both the Atom Interferometry Observatory Network (AION) and MAGIS-100 projects by developing and implementing clock-laser technology and demonstrate this methodology for very long baseline instruments. The strong scientific motivation for developing a new generation of quantum sensors stems from detailed theoretical work that shows how these instruments will push searches for certain types of dark matter beyond current boundaries and pioneer a new approach to the detection of gravity waves in a different range of frequency from the existing experiments LIGO and Virgo (thus complementing existing approaches). The long-baseline atom interferometers around the world will be networked, and there are many possible synergies through joint observations. Although gravity-wave detection on Earth provides a wealth of new information, much higher sensitivity can be achieved in space and future projects such as the Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration in Space (AEDGE), are already being discussed.The AION instrument combines the advantages of state-of-the-art optical clocks based on strontium atoms with atom interferometry. Two clouds of atoms will be prepared at different heights along a long vertical vacuum pipe, and both clouds will be launched so that they travel upwards before coming to rest and falling back down under gravity. Such 'atomic fountains' allow a long measurement time but atoms must be cooled to temperatures less than 1 nanokelvin otherwise they spread out too much before falling back through the detection region. A vertical laser beam runs through both clouds of atoms, at different heights, so that there is common-mode rejection of noise by differential measurement.Some aspects of the required technology are being developed. In this proposal, we shall develop the narrow bandwidth (few Hz) laser systems required for an interferometer using the narrowest single-photon transition in atomic strontium; the clock transition at (698nm) which is 1000 times narrower than the transition (at 689nm) originally planned for the initial demonstrator of differential interferometry. This electronic and optical technology will be developed as reliable modules for future deployment at the site of large baseline instruments. This represents an important stepping stone towards the AION-10 device. In addition, the narrowness of the clock transition allows extremely precise velocity selection of atoms from a distribution as required for high-contrast fringes from a long interferometer sequences. Furthermore, this allows rapid interleaving of interferometry sequences by the sequential selection of different velocity classes from a single transported atom cloud, without repeating the laser cooling and transport processes. This work will be supported by comprehensive simulations using efficient numerical techniques being developed in AION. The AION programme exploits synergies between STFC and EPSRC science and the strategic areas of quantum technology, computing and metrology. It brings together a consortium of experimental and theoretical particle physicists, as well as astrophysicists and instrumentation experts, quantum information scientists, experts in Sr based atomic-clock research, and atomic physicists drawn from the STFC and EPSRC communities. The quantum technologies of AION have potential applications in such varied areas as navigation and oil drilling. We will work closely with the UK Quantum Technologies Hub in sensors and metrology to develop these technologies and bring them to market.

在这一方案中开发的技术将通过开发和实施时钟-激光技术来加强原子干涉测量观测网和MAGIS-100项目中的原子干涉测量，并在甚长基线仪器上演示这一方法。开发新一代量子传感器的强烈科学动机源于详细的理论工作，这些理论工作表明这些仪器将如何推动对某些类型暗物质的搜索超越当前的界限，并开创了一种新的方法来检测与现有实验LIGO和Virgo不同频率范围的重力波（从而补充现有方法）。世界各地的长基线原子干涉仪将联网，通过联合观测有许多可能的协同作用。虽然地球上的引力波探测提供了丰富的新信息，但在太空中可以实现更高的灵敏度，并且已经在讨论未来的项目，如暗物质原子实验和太空引力探测（AEDGE）。AION仪器结合了基于锶原子的最先进光学时钟的优势和原子干涉测量法。两个原子云将沿着沿着一个长的垂直真空管在不同的高度准备好，两个云都将被发射，以便它们在静止之前向上运动，并在重力作用下回落。这种“原子喷泉”允许长时间的测量，但原子必须冷却到低于1纳开尔文的温度，否则它们在通过检测区域回落之前会扩散得太多。一束垂直的激光束穿过两个原子云的不同高度，这样就可以通过差分测量消除共模噪声。所需技术的某些方面正在开发中。在本提案中，我们将开发使用原子锶中最窄单光子跃迁的干涉仪所需的窄带宽（几Hz）激光系统;时钟跃迁在（698 nm），比跃迁（689 nm）窄1000倍最初计划用于差分干涉测量的初始演示。这种电子和光学技术将发展成为今后在大型基线仪器现场部署的可靠模块。这是迈向AION-10设备的重要垫脚石。此外，窄的时钟过渡允许非常精确的速度选择原子的分布所需的高对比度条纹从一个长的干涉仪序列。此外，这允许通过从单个传输的原子云中顺序选择不同的速度类别来快速交错干涉测量序列，而无需重复激光冷却和传输过程。这项工作将得到全面模拟的支持，使用AION正在开发的高效数值技术。AION计划利用STFC和EPSRC科学与量子技术，计算和计量学战略领域之间的协同作用。它汇集了实验和理论粒子物理学家，以及天体物理学家和仪器专家，量子信息科学家，锶原子钟研究专家以及来自STFC和EPSRC社区的原子物理学家。AION量子技术在航海、石油钻探等领域具有潜在的应用前景。我们将与英国量子技术中心在传感器和计量方面密切合作，开发这些技术并将其推向市场。

项目成果

Centralised Design and Production of the Ultra-High Vacuum and Laser-Stabilisation Systems for the AION Ultra-Cold Strontium Laboratories

AION 超冷锶实验室超高真空和激光稳定系统的集中设计和生产

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2305.20060
• 发表时间: 2023
• 作者: Stray B