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Resolving the gravitational redshift across a millimetre-scale atomic sample

Author

Listed:
  • Tobias Bothwell

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado)

  • Colin J. Kennedy

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado
    Quantinuum)

  • Alexander Aeppli

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado)

  • Dhruv Kedar

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado)

  • John M. Robinson

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado)

  • Eric Oelker

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado
    University of Glasgow)

  • Alexander Staron

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado)

  • Jun Ye

    (JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Department of Physics, University of Colorado)

Abstract

Einstein’s theory of general relativity states that clocks at different gravitational potentials tick at different rates relative to lab coordinates—an effect known as the gravitational redshift1. As fundamental probes of space and time, atomic clocks have long served to test this prediction at distance scales from 30 centimetres to thousands of kilometres2–4. Ultimately, clocks will enable the study of the union of general relativity and quantum mechanics once they become sensitive to the finite wavefunction of quantum objects oscillating in curved space-time. Towards this regime, we measure a linear frequency gradient consistent with the gravitational redshift within a single millimetre-scale sample of ultracold strontium. Our result is enabled by improving the fractional frequency measurement uncertainty by more than a factor of 10, now reaching 7.6 × 10−21. This heralds a new regime of clock operation necessitating intra-sample corrections for gravitational perturbations.

Suggested Citation

  • Tobias Bothwell & Colin J. Kennedy & Alexander Aeppli & Dhruv Kedar & John M. Robinson & Eric Oelker & Alexander Staron & Jun Ye, 2022. "Resolving the gravitational redshift across a millimetre-scale atomic sample," Nature, Nature, vol. 602(7897), pages 420-424, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:602:y:2022:i:7897:d:10.1038_s41586-021-04349-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04349-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Raphael Jannin & Yuri Werf & Kees Steinebach & Hendrick L. Bethlem & Kjeld S. E. Eikema, 2022. "Pauli blocking of stimulated emission in a degenerate Fermi gas," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Xin Zheng & Jonathan Dolde & Matthew C. Cambria & Hong Ming Lim & Shimon Kolkowitz, 2023. "A lab-based test of the gravitational redshift with a miniature clock network," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Chenghao Lao & Xing Jin & Lin Chang & Heming Wang & Zhe Lv & Weiqiang Xie & Haowen Shu & Xingjun Wang & John E. Bowers & Qi-Fan Yang, 2023. "Quantum decoherence of dark pulses in optical microresonators," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

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