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Yannick Bidel

Publications and source records attributed to Yannick Bidel.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

Phase shift in an atom interferometer induced by the additional laser lines of a Raman laser generated by modulation

The use of Raman laser generated by modulation for light-pulse atom interferometer allows to have a laser system more compact and robust. However, the additional laser frequencies generated can perturb the atom interferometer. In this article, we present a precise calculation of the phase shift induced by the additional laser frequencies. The model is validated by comparison with experimental measurements on an atom gravimeter. The uncertainty of the phase shift determination limits the accuracy of our compact gravimeter at 8.10^-8 m/s^2. We show that it is possible to reduce considerably this inaccuracy with a better control of experimental parameters or with particular interferometer configurations.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2011

Detecting inertial effects with airborne matter-wave interferometry

Inertial sensors relying on atom interferometry offer a breakthrough advance in a variety of applications, such as inertial navigation, gravimetry or ground- and space-based tests of fundamental physics. These instruments require a quiet environment to reach their performance and using them outside the laboratory remains a challenge. Here we report the first operation of an airborne matter-wave accelerometer set up aboard a 0g plane and operating during the standard gravity (1g) and microgravity (0g) phases of the flight. At 1g, the sensor can detect inertial effects more than 300 times weaker than the typical acceleration fluctuations of the aircraft. We describe the improvement of the interferometer sensitivity in 0g, which reaches 2 x 10-4 ms-2 / \surdHz with our current setup. We finally discuss the extension of our method to airborne and spaceborne tests of the Universality of free fall with matter waves.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2011

Local gravity measurement with the combination of atom interferometry and Bloch oscillations

We present a local measurement of gravity combining Bloch oscillations and atom interferometry. With a falling distance of 0.8 mm, we achieve a sensitivity of 2x10-7 g with an integration time of 300 s. No bias associated with the Bloch oscillations has been measured. A contrast decay with Bloch oscillations has been observed and attributed to the spatial quality of the laser beams. A simple experimental configuration has been adopted where a single retro-reflected laser beam is performing atoms launch, stimulated Raman transitions and Bloch oscillations. The combination of Bloch oscillations and atom interferometry can thus be realized with an apparatus no more complex than a standard atomic gravimeter.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2009

Light-pulse atom interferometry in microgravity

We describe the operation of a light pulse interferometer using cold 87Rb atoms in reduced gravity. Using a series of two Raman transitions induced by light pulses, we have obtained Ramsey fringes in the low gravity environment achieved during parabolic flights. With our compact apparatus, we have operated in a regime which is not accessible on ground. In the much lower gravity environment and lower vibration level of a satellite, our cold atom interferometer could measure accelerations with a sensitivity orders of magnitude better than the best ground based accelerometers and close to proven spaced-based ones.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2007

I.C.E.: An Ultra-Cold Atom Source for Long-Baseline Interferometric Inertial Sensors in Reduced Gravity

The accuracy and precision of current atom-interferometric inertialsensors rival state-of-the-art conventional devices using artifact-based test masses . Atomic sensors are well suited for fundamental measurements of gravito-inertial fields. The sensitivity required to test gravitational theories can be achieved by extending the baseline of the interferometer. The I.C.E. (Interférométrie Cohérente pour l'Espace) interferometer aims to achieve long interrogation times in compact apparatus via reduced gravity. We have tested a cold-atom source during airplane parabolic flights. We show that this environment is compatible with free-fall interferometric measurements using up to 4 second interrogation time. We present the next-generation apparatus using degenerate gases for low release-velocity atomic sources in space-borne experiments.

physics.atom-ph↗