Precision measurements using atoms and molecules

使用原子和分子进行精确测量

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-06447
• 负责人: Vutha, Amar
• 金额: $ 2.33万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=710294
• 关键词: Precision; measurements; using; atoms; molecules

Humankind has observed the sky for centuries, but an entire universe of phenomena is invisible to our electromagnetic eyes and telescopes. Every massive object in the universe radiates gravitational waves, which can carry information to us from the far corners of the universe. Yet, this gravitational universe remains hidden from view, and awaits the development of instruments precise enough to detect the feeble spacetime fluctuations caused by gravitational waves. The proposed research program aims to construct precise atomic tools to enable the development of gravitational wave telescopes and other precision instruments. Atoms and molecules are the most precise physical tools available to us. Their quantum states can be exquisitely controlled, which allows them to be used as oscillators with extremely regular frequencies such atomic frequency references are electromagnetic “tuning forks”. Just as a humble set of tuning forks is vital to the performance of a complex orchestral symphony, electromagnetic frequency references are essential for the performance of many modern technological tasks, including communication, radio ranging and navigation. These stable oscillators provide sets of evenly spaced ticks, which can also be used to measure the distortions of spacetime caused by passing gravitational waves. Our research program aims to construct novel frequency references that are robust and portable, and can be used as the building blocks of precision instruments. The frequency references developed in this research program will provide stable markers at optical and terahertz frequencies, which can be used for improved time-keeping, accurate satellite ranging, and in the next generation of communications technologies. The research program will train undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs for leadership positions in the high-technology industry, where they will be able to leverage their experience with precision measurements. To gravitationally observe the most distant objects in the universe, ever more precise atomic frequency references are needed. The path to improved precision is through the use of quantum entanglement, where an entire ensemble of thousands of atoms can behave as one correlated quantum system. Measurements with improved precision can be made using such entangled ensembles, without the noise that arises from uncorrelated fluctuations of individual atoms and molecules. Our long-term goal is to investigate the use of quantum entanglement to build atomic and molecular frequency references with enhanced performance. This will also open up ways to use atoms and molecules for stringent tests of fundamental physical theories such as quantum electrodynamics, probing for cracks in the structure of these theories that would signal the onset of new and unknown physics.

人类已经观察到天空已有数百年之久，但是我们的电子眼和望远镜看不见整个现象的宇宙。宇宙中的每个巨大物体都会辐射引力波，这可以从宇宙的远处传递信息。然而，这个引力宇宙仍然隐藏了视野，并等待着精确的仪器的开发，以检测引力波引起的微弱时空波动。拟议的研究计划旨在构建精确的原子工具，以使引力波望远镜和其他精确仪器的开发。 原子和分子是我们可用的最精确的物理工具。它们的量子状态可以得到精确控制，这使它们可以用作具有极为规则的频率的振荡器，例如原子频率参考是电子“调谐叉”。就像一组不起眼的调音叉对于复杂的管弦乐交响曲的性能至关重要一样，电磁频率参考对于许多现代技术任务的执行，包括通信，无线电范围和导航至关重要。这些稳定的振荡器提供了一组均匀间隔的壁虱，也可以用来测量通过引力波引起的时空失真。我们的研究计划旨在构建可靠和便携式的新型频率参考，并可以用作精密仪器的基础。该研究计划中开发的频率参考将在光学和Terahertz频率上提供稳定的标记，可用于改善时间表，准确的卫星范围以及下一代通信技术。该研究计划将培训本科生，研究生和博士后在高科技行业的领导职位，在那里他们能够通过精确度量来利用自己的经验。 为了在重力观察宇宙中最遥远的物体，需要更精确的原子频率参考。提高精度的途径是通过使用量子纠缠，在该量子纠缠中，成千上万个原子的整个合奏可以作为一个相关的量子系统。可以使用此类纠缠的合奏进行以提高精度的测量，而不会源于单个原子和分子不相关的波动而产生的噪音。我们的长期目标是调查使用量子纠缠来构建具有增强性能的原子和分子频率参考。这还将开辟使用原子和分子进行基本物理理论（例如量子电子理论）进行严格检验的方法，并探测了这些理论结构的裂纹，这些裂纹表明了新的和未知物理的开始。