Precision measurement of gravity with cold atoms in an optical lattice and comparison with a classical gravimeter

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a high-precision quantum measurement of gravitational acceleration using ultracold atoms in an optical lattice, achieving an uncertainty of about 10^-7, and compares it with classical gravimeter results.

Contribution

It introduces a novel quantum approach for measuring gravity with ultracold atoms, achieving unprecedented precision and validating results against classical methods.

Findings

Measured g with 10^-7 uncertainty

Results consistent with classical gravimeter

Potential for new gravity tests at micrometer scale

Abstract

We report on a high precision measurement of gravitational acceleration using ultracold strontium atoms trapped in a vertical optical lattice. Using amplitude modulation of the lattice intensity, an uncertainty $\Delta g /g \approx 10^{-7}$ was reached by measuring at the 5$^{th}$ harmonic of the Bloch oscillation frequency. After a careful analysis of systematic effects, the value obtained with this microscopic quantum system is consistent with the one we measured with a classical absolute gravimeter at the same location. This result is of relevance for the recent interpretation of related experiments as tests of gravitational redshift and opens the way to new tests of gravity at micrometer scale.