A prototype differential atom interferometer for fundamental physics
read the original abstract
Gravitational waves and ultralight dark matter are among the most compelling frontiers in fundamental physics, motivating proposals for Very Long-Baseline Atom Interferometers (VLBAIs) such as AION, MAGIS, AICE and AEDGE that aim to detect frequencies at which ground-based and space-borne laser interferometers lose sensitivity. VLBAIs look for signals by comparing the quantum phase evolution of widely separated atomic ensembles interrogated by a common laser. However, their performance depends critically on suppressing noise sources, particularly laser phase noise. Experimental validation of such noise rejection remains an important challenge. Here we demonstrate a prototype differential atom interferometer based on the single-photon clock transition of fermionic 87Sr, realising for the first time a gradiometer configuration with a species intrinsically suited to kilometre-scale and space-baseline operation. The instrument operates at the Standard Quantum Limit with no excess noise beyond atom shot noise, and the differential configuration maintains quantum-limited sensitivity in the presence of several radians of artificially injected laser phase noise per shot, emulating the conditions expected in a VLBAI. We further demonstrate recovery of coherent oscillatory signals across a broad frequency range under fully phase-randomised conditions, a capability that is inaccessible to a single interferometer operating in the same regime. These results provide an experimental validation of the noise-immune measurement principle underlying VLBAIs and mark an important step towards next-generation quantum sensors for gravitational-wave detection and searches for ultralight dark matter.
This paper has not been read by Pith yet.
Forward citations
Cited by 2 Pith papers
-
Precision gravimetry via harnessing interaction-induced resonances in optical lattices
Resonance between on-site interactions and gravitational gradient in lattice BECs amplifies quantum Fisher information for gravimetry in the localized phase.
-
Searching for cosmic vortices
Quantum hydrodynamic simulation of a helium white dwarf disrupted by a black hole predicts quantized vortices generating flickering EM radiation in the accretion disk and gravitational waves from the elongated white dwarf.
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.