ATOMIC INTERFEROMETRY GYROSCOPES, ACCELEROMETERS, AND GRAVITY GRADIOMETERS

摘要

A neutral atom (and / or molecule) material wave interferometer (and / or set of interferometers) can be used as an inertial and / or ultra-sensitive gravity detector. A pair of different energy and / or mass interferometers can perform simultaneous independent measurements of rotation and acceleration. Interferometers having trajectories in an eight configuration constitute a gravitational gradiometer. Diffraction gratings are used as beam splitters. Said networks can be composed of apertures (S1, S2, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6) located in a sheet of solid material, laser beams (97, 99, 101) with almost resonant standing waves, or facets (179) of crystals. The curvature of the trajectory due to acceleration and rotation is canceled by gradients of magnetic and / or electric fields producing an effective levitation of slow atoms. A feedback system is used which maintains a zero interferometer phase and whose error signal produces the inertial effect signals.