Atom interferometers are widely recognized as having extremely high sensitivity to forces and hence have the potential to be highly sensitive sensors. These sensors can include accelerometers and gyroscopes [1] for navigation in GPS-compromised environments, or magnetometers for anti-submarine warfare [2]. Additionally, they are very useful for tests of fundamental physics [3]. This research opportunity is in the atom interferometry group, which is currently investigating both types of sensors. The successful candidate’s duties will include all aspects of experimentation to support these projects. Duties will include construction of new apparatus to explore atom interferometry potential to inertial sensing, optical alignment, electronic design and implementation, radio-frequency electronic design and implementation, data acquisition programming and execution, and data analysis and execution. The successful candidate is expected to travel to conferences and to various program reviews to present his/her results
[1] Composite-light-pulse technique for high precision atom interferometry," P. Berg, S. Abend, G. Tackmann, C. Schubert, E. Giese, W. P. Schleich, F. A. Narducci, W. Ertmer, and E. M. Rasel
Physical Review Letters, 114, 063002, (Feb., 2015).
[2] A proposal for a gradient magnetometer atom interferometer", J.P. Davis and F.A. Narducci
Journal of Modern Optics, 55, 3173, (Nov., 2008).
[3] "T3 interferometer for atoms," M. Zimmermann, M. A. Efremov, A. Roura, W. P. Schleich, S. A. DeSavage, J. P. Davis, A. Srinivasan, F. A. Narducci, S. A. Werner and E. M. Rasel
Appl. Phys. B, 123, (4), 102, (Mar. 2017).
atom interferometers; gyroscopes; accelerometers; laser cooling of neutral atoms; quantum optics