Endre Kajari

Bose-Einstein Condensation in Microgravity

Going Down the Tube Two pillars of modern physics are quantum mechanics and general relativity. So far, both have remained apart with no quantum mechanical description of gravity available. Van Zoest et al. (p. 1540; see the Perspective by Nussenzveig and Barata) present work with a macroscopic quantum mechanical system—a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of rubidium atoms in which the cloud of atoms is cooled into a collective quantum state—in microgravity. By dropping the BEC down a 146-meter-long drop chamber and monitoring the expansion of the quantum gas under these microgravity conditions, the authors provide a proof-of-principle demonstration of a technique that can probe the boundary of quantum mechanics and general relativity and perhaps offer the opportunity to reconcile the two experimentally. Studies of atomic quantum states in free-fall conditions may provide ways to test predictions of general relativity. Albert Einstein’s insight that it is impossible to distinguish a local experiment in a “freely falling elevator” from one in free space led to the development of the theory of general relativity. The wave nature of matter manifests itself in a striking way in Bose-Einstein condensates, where millions of atoms lose their identity and can be described by a single macroscopic wave function. We combine these two topics and report the preparation and observation of a Bose-Einstein condensate during free fall in a 146-meter-tall evacuated drop tower. During the expansion over 1 second, the atoms form a giant coherent matter wave that is delocalized on a millimeter scale, which represents a promising source for matter-wave interferometry to test the universality of free fall with quantum matter.

Visualization of the Gödel universe

The standard model of modern cosmology, which is based on the Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker metric, allows the definition of an absolute time. However, there exist (cosmological) models consistent with the theory of general relativity for which such a definition cannot be given since they offer the possibility for time travel. The simplest of these models is the cosmological solution discovered by Kurt Godel, which describes a homogeneous, rotating universe. Disregarding the paradoxes that come along with the abolishment of causality in such space–times, we are interested in the purely academic question of how an observer would visually perceive the time travel of an object in Godels universe. For this purpose, we employ the technique of ray tracing, a standard tool in computer graphics, and visualize various scenarios to bring out the optical effects experienced by an observer located in this universe. In this way, we provide a new perspective on the space–time structure of Godels model.

Representation-free description of light-pulse atom interferometry including non-inertial effects

Light-pulse atom interferometers rely on the wave nature of matter and its manipulation with coherent laser pulses. They are used for precise gravimetry and inertial sensing as well as for accurate measurements of fundamental constants. Reaching higher precision requires longer interferometer times which are naturally encountered in microgravity environments such as drop-tower facilities, sounding rockets and dedicated satellite missions aiming at fundamental quantum physics in space. In all those cases, it is necessary to consider arbitrary trajectories and varying orientations of the interferometer set-up in non-inertial frames of reference. Here we provide a versatile representation-free description of atom interferometry entirely based on operator algebra to address this general situation. We show how to analytically determine the phase shift as well as the visibility of interferometers with an arbitrary number of pulses including the effects of local gravitational accelerations, gravity gradients, the rotation of the lasers and non-inertial frames of reference. Our method conveniently unifies previous results and facilitates the investigation of novel interferometer geometries.

Dropping cold quantum gases on Earth over long times and large distances

We analyze the evolution of a degenerate quantum gas (bosons and fermions) falling in Earths gravity during long times

Realization of a magneto-optical trap in microgravity

(10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{s})

Chapter Six - Efficient Description of Bose–Einstein Condensates in Time-Dependent Rotating Traps

and over large distances

Degenerate Bose-Fermi gases in microgravity

(100\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{m})

Sagnac Effect in Goedel's Universe

. This models an experiment that is currently performed by the QUANTUS Collaboration at ZARM drop tower in Bremen, Germany. Starting from the classical mechanics of the drop capsule and a single particle trapped within, we develop a quantum field theoretical description for this experimental situation in an inertial frame, the corotating frame of the Earth, as well as the comoving frame of the drop capsule. Suitable transformations eliminate noninertial forces, provided all external potentials (trap, gravity) can be approximated with a second-order Taylor expansion around the instantaneous trap center. This is an excellent assumption, and the harmonic potential theorem applies. As a first application, we study the quantum dynamics of a cigar-shaped Bose-Einstein condensate in the Gross-Pitaevskii mean-field approximation. Due to the instantaneous transformation to the rest frame of the superfluid wave packet, the long-distance drop can be studied easily on a numerical grid.

A Compact Atom Interferometer for Future Space Missions

We report on the first realization of magneto-optically cooled atoms in microgravity as a first result of the collaboration project ATKAT (atom catapult). We present the compact and robust setup for cooling and trapping neutral 87Rb atoms in microgravity conditions in the drop tower in Bremen⊥ and discuss the specific requirements the setup has to meet. In particular we present a small size and mechanically stable laser system and discuss the specifics of the ultra high vacuum chamber. A free falling magneto-optical trap (MOT) as realized in this project provides a basis for further experiments which aim at investigating cold quantum matter in microgravity. ⊥www.zarm.uni-bremen.de

A freely falling magneto-optical trap drop tower experiment

Abstract Quantum sensors based on matter-wave interferometry are promising candidates for high-precision gravimetry and inertial sensing in space. The favorable sources for the coherent matter waves in these devices are Bose–Einstein condensates. A reliable prediction of their dynamics, which is governed by the Gross–Pitaevskii equation, requires suitable analytical and numerical methods, which take into account the center-of-mass motion of the condensate, its rotation, and its spatial expansion by many orders of magnitude. In this chapter, we present an efficient way to study their dynamics in time-dependent rotating traps that meet this objective. Both an approximate analytical solution for condensates in the Thomas–Fermi regime and dedicated numerical simulations on a variable adapted grid are discussed. We contrast and relate our approach to previous alternative methods and provide further results, such as analytical expressions for the one- and two-dimensional spatial density distributions and the momentum distribution in the long-time limit that are of immediate interest to experimentalists working in this field of research.