General relativistic effects in atom interferometry

2008/02/29 by Savas Dimopoulos, Peter W. Graham, Jason M. Hogan +1 · 201 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical interferometer #Atom interferometer #Classical mechanics #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #General relativity #Gravitation #Graviton #Interferometry #Introduction to the mathematics of general relativity #Numerical relativity #Physics #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum mechanics #Relativistic mechanics #Relativistic quantum chemistry #Tests of general relativity #Tests of special relativity #Theoretical physics #Theory of relativity #Two-body problem in general relativity #gr-qc #hep-ph #hep-th #physics.atom-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.78.042003

published in Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields 78(4) (American Physical Society) · 34 pages, 7 figures; v2: revised version to appear in Phys. Rev. D

openalex publication_date 2008/08/18 · arxiv created 2008/08/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Atom interferometry is now reaching sufficient precision to motivate laboratory tests of general relativity. We begin by explaining the nonrelativistic calculation of the phase shift in an atom interferometer and deriving its range of validity. From this, we develop a method for calculating the phase shift in general relativity. Both the atoms and the light are treated relativistically and all coordinate dependencies are removed, thus revealing novel terms, cancellations, and new origins for previously calculated terms. This formalism is then used to find the relativistic effects in an atom interferometer in a weak gravitational field for application to laboratory tests of general relativity. The potentially testable relativistic effects include the nonlinear three-graviton coupling, the gravity of kinetic energy, and the falling of light. We propose specific experiments, one currently under construction, to measure each of these effects. These experiments could provide a test of the principle of equivalence to 1 part in 10¹⁵ (300 times better than the present limit), and general relativity at the 10% level, with many potential future improvements. We also consider applications to other metrics including the Lense-Thirring effect, the expansion of the Universe, and preferred frame and location effects.

Citations

• On the measurement of the Lense–Thirring effect using the nodes of the LAGEOS satellites, in reply to “On the reliability of the so-far performed tests for measuring the Lense–Thirring effect with the LAGEOS satellites” by L. Iorio
• Atom-Interferometry Tests of the Isotropy of Post-Newtonian Gravity
• Mach's Principle and a Relativistic Theory of Gravitation
• A modification of the Newtonian dynamics as a possible alternative to the hidden mass hypothesis
• Indication, from Pioneer 10/11, Galileo, and Ulysses Data, of an Apparent Anomalous, Weak, Long-Range Acceleration
• Atom Interferometry with up to 24-Photon-Momentum-Transfer Beam Splitters
• Limit on the Present Temporal Variation of the Fine Structure Constant
• The Mass-Particle in an Expanding Universe
• The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment

Cited by

• Refined ultralight scalar dark matter searches with compact atom gradiometers
• Post-Minkowskian Gravity: Dark matter as a relativistic inertial effect?
• Atom-interferometric test of the universality of gravitational redshift and free fall
• Light-pulse atom interferometry in microgravity
• Equivalence Principle and Bound Kinetic Energy