Inertial sensing with classical atomic beams

authored by: Markus K. Oberthaler, Stefan Bernet, Ernst M. Rasel, Jörg Schmiedmayer, Anton Zeilinger
Abstract: A different approach to high-precision measurement of rotation, acceleration, and gravitation is presented. Our Moiré deflectometer is based on geometric propagation of an atomic (or molecular) beam through a set of three identical gratings. Accelerated movements of the gratings with respect to the atomic beam result in a change of the total transmitted intensity. The device is nondispersive, i.e., atoms with a broad energy distribution and without collimation can be used. Furthermore, rotational and linear (gravitational) acceleration can easily be distinguished and measured simultaneously. In a certain sense the Moiré deflectometer represents the classical analog to a quantum-mechanical matter-wave interferometer. Experimental results on a test system demonstrate that its sensitivity to rotation and gravitation is already in the range of commercially used inertial sensors. It can be increased straightforwardly by orders of magnitude.
External Organisation(s): University of Innsbruck
Type: Article
Journal: Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume: 54
Pages: 3165-3176
No. of pages: 12
ISSN: 1050-2947
Publication date: 1996
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.54.3165 (Access: Unknown)

BibTeX

@article{7628d78c7bc54770b5d2fcc3c88dd474,
title = "Inertial sensing with classical atomic beams",
abstract = "A different approach to high-precision measurement of rotation, acceleration, and gravitation is presented. Our Moir{\'e} deflectometer is based on geometric propagation of an atomic (or molecular) beam through a set of three identical gratings. Accelerated movements of the gratings with respect to the atomic beam result in a change of the total transmitted intensity. The device is nondispersive, i.e., atoms with a broad energy distribution and without collimation can be used. Furthermore, rotational and linear (gravitational) acceleration can easily be distinguished and measured simultaneously. In a certain sense the Moir{\'e} deflectometer represents the classical analog to a quantum-mechanical matter-wave interferometer. Experimental results on a test system demonstrate that its sensitivity to rotation and gravitation is already in the range of commercially used inertial sensors. It can be increased straightforwardly by orders of magnitude.",
author = "Oberthaler, {Markus K.} and Stefan Bernet and Rasel, {Ernst M.} and J{\"o}rg Schmiedmayer and Anton Zeilinger",
year = "1996",
doi = "10.1103/PhysRevA.54.3165",
language = "English",
volume = "54",
pages = "3165--3176",
journal = "Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics",
issn = "1050-2947",
publisher = "American Physical Society",
number = "4",
}