Gravity measurement using bose-einstein condensed vapors and atom interferometry

摘要

The invention uses coherent outputs from two or more Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) to characterize the acceleration due to gravity. The condensates are created at two or more different heights in the gravitational potential. de Broglie waves are extracted from each of these condensates and are interfered at detector which is located below the lower condensate. In the same manner as an optical heterodyne experiment, interference of the two "atom laser beams" results in a beatnote whose frequency is given by the energy difference associated with each atom laser beam. This beat frequency is given by the frequency difference of the two atom laser beams and is proportional (via Planck's constant) to the energy difference of the interfering beams. This energy difference allows the force of gravity to be derived at a level of sensitivity approaching 10-14 g (where g is the acceleration due to gravity).