Tag

Atom Interferometry

All articles tagged with #atom interferometry

discoveries22 days ago•43 min saved

Atomic Cannon Tests Gravity on Muonium to Probe Second-Generation Matter

ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute have produced a narrow, cold-like muonium beam inside superfluid helium, enabling a future atom-interferometry experiment to test how gravity acts on a second-generation particle. While the gravity of muonium has not yet been measured, the method could reach about 1% precision after roughly 100 days of measurements, extending tests of Einstein’s weak equivalence principle to new frontiers beyond ordinary matter.

via The Brighter Side of News|

#atom-interferometry #discoveries #equivalence-principle

science1 month ago•8 min saved

Gravity in the quantum realm: atom interferometry tests Einstein's equivalence principle

An international team used the Quantum Galileo Interferometer to split ultracold rubidium atoms, letting one part fall while the other stayed stationary, then recombined them to detect a minute gravity-induced quantum phase. The measured phase agrees with Einstein's equivalence principle extended to quantum objects, providing a direct laboratory link between gravity and quantum mechanics—without claiming a full quantum theory of gravity—and pointing toward future tests with heavier objects.

via ScienceDaily|

#atom-interferometry #equivalence-principle #gravity

science1 month ago•136 min saved

Gravity Goes Quantum: First Quantum-Scale Test Nudges Toward Unifying Physics

Scientists used the Quantum Galileo Interferometer to split a cloud of rubidium atoms into two paths—one falling under gravity and the other held in place—then recombined the waves to measure gravity’s effect on a quantum phase. The observed interference shows Einstein’s equivalence principle holds at the quantum scale and represents the first quantum‑scale hint of how gravity and quantum mechanics might be unified, though it is not a full quantum gravity demonstration; the work appeared in Science Advances.

via Space|

#atom-interferometry #equivalence-principle #general-relativity

science3 months ago•11 min saved

Prototype differential atom interferometer overcomes laser noise to probe dark matter and primordial gravitational waves

A tabletop prototype using two ultracold strontium atom clouds demonstrates a differential atom interferometer can cancel laser phase noise, revealing faint signals that could indicate dark matter or primordial gravitational waves. This experimentally confirms a key principle for future large-scale quantum sensors (AION) and paves the way for scaling to facilities at CERN or Fermilab to explore new physics.

via SciTechDaily|

#aion #atom-interferometry #dark-matter

defense-and-space1 year ago•2 min saved

X-37B Spaceplane Returns with Quantum GPS Tech on USSF-36 Mission

The US military's X-37B spaceplane has launched on its eighth mission, carrying a quantum GPS alternative that uses atom interferometry to measure position precisely, potentially allowing navigation without traditional satellite systems. This technology, tested in 2025, could enhance future spacecraft and aircraft navigation, raising strategic concerns for China and the US about satellite dependency in warfare.

via theregister.com|

#atom-interferometry #defense-and-space #military-technology

technology1 year ago•4 min saved

Quantum Navigation: US Military's Next-Gen Spaceplane Technology

A US military spaceplane, X-37B, will test a quantum inertial sensor using atom interferometry during its upcoming mission, aiming to provide a highly sensitive, GPS-independent navigation system for space and other environments where GPS is unreliable or unavailable, marking a significant advancement in quantum technology applications for aerospace.

via The Conversation|

#atom-interferometry #quantum-inertial-sensors #quantum-navigation