Mesoscopic interference for metric and curvature & gravitational wave detection

Autor: Ryan J Marshman, Anupam Mazumdar, Gavin W Morley, Peter F Barker, Steven Hoekstra, Sougato Bose
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: New Journal of Physics, Vol 22, Iss 8, p 083012 (2020)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1367-2630
DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/ab9f6c
Popis: A compact detector for space-time metric and curvature is highly desirable. Here we show that quantum spatial superpositions of mesoscopic objects could be exploited to create such a detector. We propose a specific form for such a detector and analyse how asymmetries in its design allow it to directly couple to the curvature. Moreover, we also find that its non-symmetric construction and the large mass of the interfered objects, enable the detection gravitational waves (GWs). Finally, we discuss how the construction of such a detector is in principle possible with a combination of state of the art techniques while taking into account the known sources of decoherence and noise. To this end, we use Stern–Gerlach interferometry with masses ∼10 ^−17 kg, where the interferometric signal is extracted by measuring spins and show that accelerations as low as 5 × 10 ^−15 ms ^−2 Hz ^−1/2 , as well as the frame dragging effects caused by the Earth, could be sensed. The GW sensitivity scales differently from the stray acceleration sensitivity, a unique feature of the proposed interferometer. We identify mitigation mechanisms for the known sources of noise, namely gravity gradient noise, uncertainty principle and electro-magnetic forces and show that it could potentially lead to a metre sized, orientable and vibrational noise (thermal/seismic) resilient detector of mid (ground based) and low (space based) frequency GWs from massive binaries (the predicted regimes are similar to those targeted by atom interferometers and LISA).
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals