Uncontrollabe Errors in the Measurements of an Atomic Gravimeter & A Novel Hybrid Microwave Interferometer for Detection of Molecular Interactions

Abstract

Abstract 1: There is a persistent interest in minimizing the dimensions of portable atomic gravimeters. This reduction inevitably results in the truncation of the Gaussian wings of the excitation laser beams, the implications of which have not yet been fully assessed. The diffraction pattern generated by this aperture creates ripples in the wavefront, influencing both the phase and the intensity. We examine the alteration in the measured value of an atomic gravimeter due to phase fluctuations in the wavefront. Fortunately, this alteration demonstrates a Gaussian decay in relation to the size of the aperture. For larger clouds, we notice a reduced effect due to averaging across transverse positions that show different shift values. Interestingly, we found that variations in intensity also provide a notable correction to the photon recoil, contributing roughly equally to the previously mentioned shift in the measurement of gravitational acceleration. Our results should aid in establishing the minimum size of an apparatus necessary to achieve a certain level of accuracy.

Abstract 2: We expand on a new approach for determining whether two molecules interact to create a compound molecule. This method involves exciting the sample using two distinct laser frequencies and assessing the relative phase shift of the transmitted light. The proposed design stimulates the sample within the optical range where a significant response occurs and utilizes a hybrid microwave interferometer to measure the phase. The method has advantageous scaling with the experimental parameters. This approach is highly resilient to external phase variations, including those caused by temperature changes, which typically pose the greatest challenge in interferometric measurements.