Laser-based prototype probes cold atom dynamics

The insights gathered by the team could offer significant improvements in the accuracy of tests of fundamental physics, as well as assessments of the Earth's gravitational field. Studies in the past have made significant strides towards mobile laser systems for cold atom inertial sensing which are more compact, but these have not yet widely proven suitable for measurements in space. In their study, the researchers' updated laser system was implemented onto a ground-based atomic sensor at LNE-SYRTE. This enabled them to prove that their prototype was ready to carry out real experiments measuring the subtle variations in the Earth's gravitational field using matter wave interferometry techniques. Their work was carried out in collaboration with Sodern in the frame of a more general study led by the European Space Agency (ESA), whose objective was to assess and improve the maturity of cold atom technologies.

The design involves industrial lasers which are typically used for telecommunications; with their frequencies doubled. This setup benefited from a wide availability of components, as well as extensive previous research into the properties of the lasers. Through further testing in space-like environments, the team hopes that their system could soon allow researchers to probe various aspects of the physical environment of space in unprecedented levels of detail.