Improving the accuracy of atom interferometers with ultracold sources. (28th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Karcher, R; Imanaliev, A; Merlet, S; Santos, F Pereira Dos
• Is Part Of: New journal of physics. Volume 20:Number 11(2018:Nov.)
• Publication Date: 2018-11-28
• Subjects: atom interferometry -- gravimetry -- inertial sensors -- quantum sensors; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics; Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/aaf07d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2630

Abstract

Abstract: We report on the implementation of ultracold atoms as a source in a state of the art atom gravimeter. We perform gravity measurements with 10 nm s −2 statistical uncertainties in a so-far largely unexplored temperature range for such a high accuracy sensor, down to 50 nK. This allows for an improved characterization of the most limiting systematic effect, related to wavefront aberrations of light beamsplitters. A thorough model of the impact of this effect onto the measurement is developed and a method is proposed to correct for this bias based on the extrapolation of the measurements down to zero temperature. Finally, an uncertainty of 13 nm s −2 is obtained in the evaluation of this systematic effect, which can be improved further by performing measurements at even lower temperatures. Our results clearly demonstrate the benefit brought by ultracold atoms to the metrological study of free falling atom interferometers. By tackling their main limitation, the method presented here allows reaching record-breaking accuracies for inertial sensors based on atom interferometry.