Progress Toward Developing a 2m Strontium Atom Interferometer for Tests of Fundamental Physics

Studies of fundamental physics, using light-pulse atom interferometers, have been proposed for performing tests of the equivalence principle, dark matter searches, and gravitational wave detection. Furthermore, atom interferometers allow for tabletop experiments of fundamental physics such as (1) tests of quantum mechanics over macroscopic length scales where gravitational curvature is non-negligible, (2) the measurement of Newton’s gravitational constant G, and (3) probing for deviations from our understanding of gravity (fifth forces). Our group is constructing a 2m 88Sr atom interferometer as an apparatus for such experiments. This poster will describe various experimental design and build efforts including the development of modular magnetic shielding, characterizations of the impact of internal reflections within the interferometer tube, and the construction of an ultrahigh vacuum system.