Antimatter interferometry for gravity measurements.
We describe a light-pulse atom interferometer that is suitable for any species of atom and even for electrons and protons as well as their antiparticles, in particular, for testing the Einstein equivalence principle with antihydrogen. The design obviates the need for resonant lasers through far-off resonant Bragg beam splitters and makes efficient use of scarce atoms by magnetic confinement and atom recycling. We expect to reach an initial accuracy of better than 1% for the acceleration of the free fall of antihydrogen, which can be improved to the part-per million level.
Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Paul
P
Hamilton
Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Andrey
A
Zhmoginov
Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA.
Francis
F
Robicheaux
Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Joel
J
Fajans
Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Jonathan S
JS
Wurtele
Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Holger
H
Müller