Quantum Gas Mixtures and Dual-Species Atom Interferometry in Space

ORAL

Abstract

The capability to reach ultracold atomic temperatures in compact instruments has recently been extended into space. Ultracold temperatures amplify quantum effects, while free-fall allows further cooling and longer interactions time with gravity - the final force without a quantum description. On Earth, these devices have produced macroscopic quantum phenomena such as Bose-Einstein condensation, superfluidity, and strongly interacting quantum gases. Quantum sensors interfering the superposition of two ultracold atomic isotopes have tested the Universality of Free Fall (UFF), a core tenet of Einstein's classical gravitational theory, at the 10^−12 level. In space, cooling the elements needed to explore the rich physics of strong interactions and preparing the multiple species required for quantum tests of the UFF has remained elusive. This talk will discuss utilizing upgraded capabilities of the multi-user Cold Atom Lab (CAL) instrument within the International Space Station (ISS) to produce the first dual species Bose-Einstein condensates in space (formed from 87-Rb and 41-K), observation of interspecies interactions, as well as the production of 39-K ultracold gases. This talk will further highlight the first space-borne demonstration of simultaneous atom interferometry with two atomic species (87-Rb and 41-K). These results are an important step towards quantum tests of UFF in space, and will allow scientists to investigate aspects of few-body physics, quantum chemistry, and fundamental physics in novel regimes without the perturbing asymmetry of gravity.

*This work is funded by NASA's Division of Biological and Physical Sciences and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with NASA. US Government sponsorship acknowledged.

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Publication: Elliott, E.R. et al. Quantum gas mixtures and dual-species atom interferometry in space. Nature 623, 502–508 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06645-w

Presenters

  • Ethan Elliott

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Authors

  • Ethan Elliott

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • David C Aveline

    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Nicholas P Bigelow

    • University of Rochester

  • Patrick Boegel

    • Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

  • Sofia Botsi

    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Eric Charron

    • Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, France

  • Jose P D'Incao

    • JILA, NIST, and Dept of Physics, Univ. of Colorado Boulder

  • Peter W Engels

    • Washington State University

  • Timothe Estrampes

    • Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, France & Leibniz University Hanover

  • Naceur Gaaloul

    • Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institut für Quantenoptik
    • Univ Hannover

  • James M Kohel

    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Nathan Lundblad

    • Bates College

  • Matthias Meister

    • Institute of Quantum Technologies, German Aerospace Center

  • Maren E Mossman

    • University of San Diego

  • Gabriel Müller

    • Leibniz University Hannover

  • Holger Müller

    • University of California, Berkeley

  • Kamal Oudrhiri

    • Jet Propulsion Lab, California Institute of Technology
    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Annie Pichery

    • Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz University Hannover

  • Ernst Rasel

    • Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institut für Quantenoptik
    • Leibniz University Hannover

  • Wolfgang P Schleich

    • Univ Ulm

  • Cass A Sackett

    • University of Virginia

  • Robert J Thompson

    • Jet Propulsion Lab, California Institute of Technology
    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Matteo S Sbroscia

    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Jason R Williams

    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory