Optical cavities could be key to next generation interferometers

Date:
December 8, 2021
Source:
University of Birmingham
Summary:
A new concept has been developed that has the potential to assist
new instruments in the investigation of fundamental science topics
such as gravitational waves and dark matter.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new concept has been developed that has the potential to assist new instruments in the investigation of fundamental science topics such as gravitational waves and dark matter.


==========================================================================
The concept is described in a paper written by UK Quantum Technology
Hub Sensors and Timing researchers at the University of Birmingham and published in Communications Physics, and a related patent application
filed by University of Birmingham Enterprise.

It proposes a new method of using optical cavities to enhance atom interferometers -- highly sensitive devices that use light and atoms to
make ultra-precise measurements.

Although itself challenging to implement, the concept presents a method of overcoming substantial technological challenges involved in the pursuit of
atom interferometers operating at extreme momentum transfer -- a technique which would allow atoms to be placed into a quantum superposition over
large distances.

This is key to enabling the sensitivities required for these devices
to investigate signals from dark matter and gravitational waves. The exploration of dark matter, and the detection of gravitational waves from
the very early Universe is key to developing our collective knowledge
of fundamental physics.

The new paper, written by Dr Rustin Nourshargh, Dr Samuel Lellouch
and colleagues from the School of Physics and Astronomy, describes how synchronisation of the input pulses, to realise a spatially resolved circulating pulse within the optical cavity, can facilitate a large
momentum transfer without the need for drastic improvements in available
laser power.

Investigating dark matter and gravitational waves will not only facilitate
a better understanding of the Universe's history, but will also drive new
ideas for improving the future sensitivity of atom interferometers. This
will also be relevant to further exploiting atom interferometry in
practical applications, such as providing new tools for navigation
through enabling increased resilience against loss of GPS signals.

Dr Rustin Nourshargh, former doctoral researcher at the University of Birmingham and now Scientist at Oxford Ionics, said: "This optical
cavity scheme offers a route to meeting the immense laser power
requirements for future atom based gravitational wave detectors."
Dr Samuel Lellouch, Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham,
said: "By overcoming some of the most severe current technological
barriers, this original scheme has a real potential to enable
disruptive sensitivity levels in large-scale atom interferometers." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Birmingham. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Rustin Nourshargh, Samuel Lellouch, Sam Hedges, Mehdi Langlois, Kai
Bongs, Michael Holynski. Circulating pulse cavity
enhancement as a method for extreme momentum transfer atom
interferometry. Communications Physics, 2021; 4 (1) DOI:
10.1038/s42005-021-00754-6 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211208123426.htm

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