Comparison of the sensitivities for atom interferometers in two different operation methods

We investigated the sensitivities of atom interferometers in the usual fringe-scanning method(FSM) versus the fringelocking method(FLM). The theoretical analysis shows that for typical noises in atom interferometers, the FSM will degrade the sensitivity while the FLM does not. The sensitivity-improvement factor of the FLM over the FSM depends on the type of noises, which is validated by numerical simulations. The detailed quantitative analysis on this fundamental issue is presented, and our analysis is readily extendable to other kinds of noises as well as other fringe shapes in addition to a cosine one.     

万有引力常数G精确测量实验进展

万有引力常数G是人类历史上引入的第一个基本物理学常数,其在理论物理、天体物理和地球物理等许多领域中扮演着重要角色.两百多年来,人们共测量出了200多个G值,但G的测量精度仍然是所有物理学常数中最差的,这一现象反映了测G工作本身的复杂性和困难性.本文简要概述了G值测量的意义和测G的历史,并结合自2010年以来国际上新出现的三个高精度测G实验介绍这一领域的研究进展,以及华中科技大学引力实验中心测G工作的最新动态.     

Common-mode noise rejection using fringe-locking method in WEP test by simultaneous dual-species atom interferometers

We theoretically investigate the application of the fringe-locking method(FLM) in the dual-species quantum test of the weak equivalence principle(WEP).With the FLM,the measurement is performed invariably at the midfringe,and the extraction of the phase shift for atom interferometers is linearized.For the simultaneous interferometers,this linearization enables a good common-mode rejection of vibration noise,which is usually the main limit for high precision WEP tests of the dual-species kind.We note that this method also allows for an unbiased determination of the gravity accelerations difference,which meanwhile is ready to be implemented.