Abstract: Atom interferometers can be used to obtain information about accelerations and fields, whether this may be in the investigation of fundamental aspects of physics, such as measuring fundamental constants or testing gravity, or as part of a measurement device, such as an accelerometer [1,2,3]. Achieving adequate coherence times remains a priority, and this can be realized by holding the atoms in a trap as an alternative to increasing their free fall time [1]. We are developing a concept for such a trapped atom interferometer, with tweezer traps movable in one or more dimensions, as such movement is expected to award us with more spatial and temporal information than with a stationary trap.
In this talk, I will present the concept of trapped atom interferometers, their extension to having movable traps, and some of our investigations into the experimental feasibility of creating such movable trap interferometers.
[1] V. Xu, M. Jaffe, C. D. Panda, S. L. Kristensen, L. W. Clark, and H. Müller, Probing gravity by holding atoms for 20 seconds, Science 366, 745 (2019).
[2] D. Carney, H. Müller, and J. M. Taylor, Using an Atom Interferometer to Infer Gravitational Entanglement Generation, PRX Quantum 2, 030330 (2021).
[3] B. M. Anderson, J. M. Taylor, and V. M. Galitski, Interferometry with synthetic gauge fields, Phys. Rev. A 83, 031602 (2011).
Pizza and drinks will be served after the seminar