Could trapped quintessence account for the laser-detuning-dependent acceleration of cold atoms in varying-frequency time-of-flight experiments?

TL;DR

This study explores whether a trapped quintessence scalar field can explain the laser-detuning-dependent acceleration observed in cold atom time-of-flight experiments, linking cosmological models with laboratory measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental approach to test trapped quintessence models through frequency-dependent atomic acceleration measurements.

Findings

Acceleration depends on probe light detuning.

Scalar field saturation aligns with cosmological constant.

Interaction range estimated at several micrometers.

Abstract

Using a trapped quintessence model, a series of time-of-flight (TOF) experiments with a different frequency of probe light were designed and performed. The varying-frequency TOF (VFTOF) experiments demonstrated that the fall acceleration of test atoms is dependent on the detuning of the probe light frequency with respect to the atomic transition frequency. In appropriately designed experiments, if the scalar field in the model accounts for the accelerated expansion of the Universe entirely, the field will result in an observable fifth force. Meanwhile, the trapped quintessence model still satisfies all experimental bounds on deviations from general relativity due to both the saturation effect and the short interaction range of the scalar field. The scalar saturates at a value corresponding to the cosmological constant when the microscopic nonrelativistic matter density is large enough. The interaction range of the scalar is inversely proportional to the square root of the microscopic nonrelativistic matter density. The interaction range has been estimated to be several $\mu \rm{m}$ in the current cosmic density. The Universe is assumed to be permeated with fuzzy dark matter, which means that the microscopic nonrelativistic matter density defined through the quantum wavefunctions of the ultralight particles can be used on the cosmic scale. By measuring the fall acceleration of the test atoms with the TOF method step-by-step in the detuning frequency domain of the probe light, we derived the dispersion curves of the measured acceleration versus the frequency detuning of the probe light. When the nonrelativistic matter density of the source increased due to the energy gained from the laser light, the test atoms were pulled to the center of the source, and vice versa.