Ernst M. Rasel
Inertial Atomic Quantum Sensors
E. M. Rasel & W. Ertmer (QUEST, LUH)
Atom interferometers are more and more developing from laboratory prototypes towards inertial sensors with multi‐disciplinary applications on ground and in space. They represent a method for realising nearly ideal free falling inertial reference systems to measure inertial and gravitational forces with highest sensitivity and in particular with highest accuracy. On ground current state of the art inertial sensors, either of atomic or photonic nature, measure gravity with an accuracy of a few parts in 109. The demonstrated long term stabilities (at timescales of 103 to 104 s) for cold atom gyroscopes are 10-7 rad/s.
The ultimate limitations of these devices are still not known, new techniques and concepts are still emerging. Examples are atom lasers and other sources of degenerate quantum gases, where the potential for applications in high precision measurement is yet to be explored and are unanswered. High accuracy and long‐term stability are the most important features of these sensors and makes them interesting for space navigation and long‐term geodesy. Inertial atomic sensor combined with ultra‐stable clocks show a high potential to improve the current knowledge of the geoid by combining high accuracy gravitational red‐shift measurements, position measurements and local gravity measurements.
