Degenerate Quantum Gases in Microgravity

• DOI: 10.1007/s12217-010-9247-0
• Publication Date: 2010-11-15T12:48:14Z
• Authors: Jan Rudolph; Naceur Gaaloul; Yeshpal Singh; Holger Ahlers; Waldemar Herr; Torben A. Schulze; Stephan Tobias Se...; Christina Rode; Vladimir Schkolnik; Wolfgang Ertmer; Ernst Maria Rasel; Hauke Müntinga; Thorben Könemann; Andreas Resch; Sven Herrmann; Claus Lämmerzahl; Tim van Zoest; Hansjörg Dittus; Anika Vogel; André Wenzlawski; Klaus Sengstock; Nadine Meyer; Kai Bongs; Markus Krutzik; Wojciech Lewoczko...; Max Schiemangk; Achim Peters; Michael Eckart; Endre Kajari; Stefan Arnold; Gerrit Nandi; Wolfgang P. Schleich; Reinhold Walser; Tilo Steinmetz; Theodor W. Hänsch; Jakob Reichel
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 01 natural sciences

Clouds of ultra-cold atoms and especially Bose–Einstein condensates (BEC) provide a source for coherent matter-waves in numerous earth bound experiments. Analogous to optical interferometry, matter-wave interferometers can be used for precision measurements allowing for a sensitivity orders of magnitude above their optical counterparts. However, in some respects the presence of gravitational forces in the lab limits experimental possibilities. In this article, we report about a compact and robust experiment generating Bose–Einstein condensates in the drop tower facility in Bremen, Germany. We also present the progress of building the succeeding experiment in which a two species atom interferometer will be implemented to test the weak equivalence principle with quantum matter.