Precision Measurements of Scattering Phase Shifts in a Juggling Atomic Clock

杂耍原子钟中散射相移的精确测量

• 批准号: 1209662
• 负责人: Kurt Gibble
• 金额: $ 2.5万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-15 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1209662&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Precision; Measurements; Scattering; Phase; Shifts

This experimental research program will precisely study the quantum scattering of ultracold cesium atoms in an atomic clock. The group has demonstrated a new type of scattering experiment that scatters a cesium atom in a coherent superposition of its two clock states off atoms in a pure state at ultracold temperatures. Each clock state experiences an s-wave scattering phase shift and, by detecting only the scattered part of each atom's wavefunction, the difference of the scattering phase shifts is directly observed as a phase shift of Ramsey fringes. A unique feature is that the observed difference of the scattering phase shifts is independent of the atomic density. The technique provides atomic clock accuracy to scattering measurements and is expected to significantly improve our knowledge of atomic interactions that are relevant for laser-cooled cesium clocks.The group will perform precision measurements of the scattering of different internal states of cesium as a function of magnetic field. These experiments will constrain unambiguously and help to determine precisely the ultracold cesium-cesium interactions that are still insufficiently known. Better knowledge of the interactions is required for the frequency shifts of atomic clocks due to ultracold scattering, especially at the very low energies of cesium clocks in microgravity.Broader impacts of this program include the training of a graduate student in many areas of modern technology from lasers, electro-optics, radio-frequency and microwave techniques, ultra-high vacuum, and atomic clocks and frequency control. The work will impact the understanding of ultracold atom-atom interactions with highly precise measurements, giving important information about the ultracold cesium interactions for laser-cooled microgravity clocks. This information will help establish and improve the accuracy of a space-based laser-cooled atomic clock under construction.

该实验研究计划将精确研究原子钟中超电位剖宫产的量子散射。该小组展示了一种新型的散射实验，该实验在其两个时钟的连贯叠加中散射剖腹原子，在超电压温度下以纯状态下的原子。每个时钟状态都会经历S波散射相移，并且仅检测每个原子波函数的散射部分，直接观察到散射相移的差异是Ramsey Fringes的相移。一个独特的特征是，观察到的散射相偏移的差异与原子密度无关。该技术为散射测量提供了原子钟的准确性，并有望显着提高我们对与激光冷却的剖腹时钟相关的原子相互作用的了解。该组将对瓶中不同内部状态的散射作为磁场的散射进行精确测量。这些实验将明确限制，并有助于确定仍然不知道的超速宫颈相互作用。由于超速散射引起的原子钟的频移频率需要更好的了解，尤其是在微重力中的颅骨钟的极低能量。这项工作将影响对高度精确测量的超速原子 - 原子相互作用的理解，从而为激光冷却微重力时钟提供了有关超速剖宫产相互作用的重要信息。该信息将有助于建立和提高正在施工的空间激光冷却原子时钟的准确性。