Bragg gravity-gradiometer using the ${}^1$S${}_0$-${}^3$P${}_1$ intercombination transition of ${}^{88}$Sr

Abstract

We present a gradiometer based on matter-wave interference of alkaline-earth-metal atoms, namely ${}^{88}$Sr. The coherent manipulation of the atomic external degrees of freedom is obtained by large-momentum-transfer Bragg diffraction, driven by laser fields detuned away from the narrow ${}^1$S${}_0$-${}^3$P${}_1$ intercombination transition. We use a well-controlled artificial gradient, realized by changing the relative frequencies of the Bragg pulses during the interferometer sequence, in order to characterize the sensitivity of the gradiometer. The sensitivity reaches $1.5\times 10^{-5}$ s${}^{-2}$ for an interferometer time of 20 ms, limited only by geometrical constraints. We observed extremely low sensitivity of the gradiometric phase to magnetic field gradients, approaching a value 10${}^5$ times lower than the sensitivity of alkali-atom based gradiometers. An efficient double-launch technique employing accelerated red vertical lattices from a single magneto-optical trap cloud is also demonstrated. These results highlight strontium as an ideal candidate for precision measurements of gravity gradients, with potential application in future precision tests of fundamental physics.

10 pages, 7 figures

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