AION-10: Technical Design Report for a 10m Atom Interferometer in Oxford

TL;DR

The paper details the design and engineering of AION-10, a 10-meter atom interferometer at Oxford, aimed at precision fundamental physics measurements and serving as a prototype for future larger-scale experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive technical design for a 10-meter atom interferometer, addressing key engineering challenges and validating performance through detailed analysis and measurements.

Findings

Design meets all performance requirements with 97% optical component reliability.

Vacuum and vibration measurements confirm the instrument's precision capabilities.

The work provides a technical foundation for scaling atom interferometry to longer baselines.

Abstract

This Technical Design Report presents AION-10, a 10-meter atom interferometer to be located at Oxford University using ultracold strontium atoms to make precision measurements of fundamental physics. AION-10 serves as both a prototype for future larger-scale experiments and a versatile scientific instrument capable of conducting its own diverse physics programme. The design features a 10-meter vertical tower housing two atom interferometer sources in an ultra-high vacuum environment. Key engineering challenges include achieving nanometer-level vibrational stability and precise magnetic field control. Solutions include active vibration isolation, specialized magnetic shielding, and a modular assembly approach using professional lifting equipment. Detailed analysis confirms the design meets all performance requirements, with critical optical components remaining within our specifications 97% of the time under realistic operating conditions. Vacuum and vibration measurements in the host building validate that the instrument will achieve the precision needed for quantum sensing applications. This work establishes the technical foundation for scaling atom interferometry to longer baselines while creating a cutting-edge facility for precision measurements that could advance our understanding of fundamental physics.