Eur. Phys. J. D 53, 353-357 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00150-5

Light-pulse atom interferometry in microgravity

¹ Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Université Paris Sud 11, Institut d'Optique Graduate School, RD 128, 91127 Palaiseau Cedex, France
² LNE-SYRTE, CNRS UMR 8630, UPMC, Observatoire de Paris, 61 avenue de l'Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France
³ Office National d'Étude et de Recherches Aérospatiales, Chemin de la Hunière, 91761 Palaiseau, France

Corresponding author: ^a philippe.bouyer@institutoptique.fr

Received: 19 March 2009
Revised: 21 April 2009
Published online: 16 May 2009

Abstract

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.