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US 9,134,450 B2Granted
Cold atom gravity gradiometer
AssigneeMuquans
InventorsBruno Desruelle, Philippe Bouyer, Arnaud Landragin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cold atom gravity gradiometer system includes a laser source that generates a laser beam that propagates along a propagation direction. The system further includes a reflector that reflects a portion of the laser beam and transmits another portion of the laser beam (the transmitted portion). A second reflector spatially separated from the first reflector along the propagation direction reflects the transmitted portion of the laser beam.
Claims23
A cold atom gravity gradiometer system comprising:
- a laser source that generates a laser beam that propagates along a propagation direction;
- a first reflector that reflects a first portion of the laser beam and transmits a second portion of the laser beam;
- and
- a second reflector spatially separated from the first reflector along the propagation direction, wherein the second reflector reflects the second portion of the laser beam;
- wherein the first reflector comprises:
- a first reflecting surface arranged to reflect the first portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of first trapping laser beams for trapping a first sample of cold atoms;
- and
- a central hole arranged within the first reflector that allows the second portion of the laser beam to transmit through the first reflector.
5 more elements
A method for measuring a gravity gradient comprising:
- generating a laser beam having a frequency having a first detuning;
- reflecting, from a first reflector, a first portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of first trapping laser beams;
- transmitting a second portion of the laser beam through a central hole arranged in the first reflector;
- and
- reflecting, from a second reflector, the second portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of second trapping laser beams and a retro-reflected trapping laser beam;
- forming a first cold atom trap using the plurality of first trapping laser beams in combination with the retro-reflected trapping laser beam;
- forming a second cold atom trap using the plurality of second trapping laser beams in combination with the retro-reflected trapping laser beam;
- trapping a first sample and a second sample of cold atoms in the first and second cold atom traps, respectively.
5 more elements
A method for measuring a gravity gradient comprising:
- generating a laser beam having a first detuning;
- reflecting, from a first reflector, a first portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of first trapping laser beams;
- transmitting a second portion of the laser beam through a central hole arranged in the first reflector;
- and
- reflecting, from a second reflector, the second portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of second trapping laser beams;
- transmitting a third portion of the laser beam through a central hole arranged in the second reflector;
- reflecting, from a third reflector, the third portion of the laser beam to generate a retro-reflected trapping laser beam;
- forming a first cold atom trap using the plurality of first trapping laser beams in combination with the retro-reflected laser beam;
- forming a second cold atom trap using the plurality of second trapping laser beams in combination with the retro-reflected laser beam;
- and
- trapping a first and second sample of cold atoms in the first and second cold atom traps, respectively.
8 more elements
A cold atom gravity gradiometer system comprising:
- a laser source for generating a laser beam that propagates along a propagation direction;
- a first reflector that reflects a first portion of the laser beam;
- a second reflector that reflects a second portion of the laser beam, wherein the second reflector is spatially separated from the first reflector along a gradient measurement direction that substantially perpendicular to the propagation direction;
- wherein the first reflector comprises a first reflecting surface arranged to reflect a first portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of first trapping laser beams for trapping a first sample of cold atoms;
- and
- wherein the second reflector comprises a second reflecting surface arranged to reflect the second portion of the laser beam to generate a plurality of second trapping laser beams for trapping a second sample of cold atoms.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.