Multi-axis inertial sensing with long-time point source atom interferometry

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel multi-axis atom interferometer using long-time point source techniques, achieving unprecedented sensitivity in inertial sensing and Earth's rotation measurement.

Contribution

It introduces a new method combining point source atom interferometry with spatial detection for multi-axis, long-duration inertial sensing.

Findings

Achieved 2.3 s interrogation time with 1.4 cm wavepacket separation.

Enhanced acceleration sensitivity by over two orders of magnitude.

Measured Earth's rotation rate with 200 nrad/s precision.

Abstract

We show that light-pulse atom interferometry with atomic point sources and spatially resolved detection enables multi-axis (two rotation, one acceleration) precision inertial sensing at long interrogation times. Using this method, we demonstrate a light-pulse atom interferometer for Rb-87 with 1.4 cm peak wavepacket separation and a duration of 2T = 2.3 seconds. The inferred acceleration sensitivity of each shot is 6.7 * 10^(-12) g, which improves on previous limits by more than two orders of magnitude. We also measure the Earth's rotation rate with a precision of 200 nrad/s.