The Design, Realization, and Validation of the Scheme for Quantum Degenerate Research in Microgravity

• Published in: IEEE photonics journal Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Li, Lin, Xiong, Wei, Wang, Bin, Li, Tang, Xie, Yu, Liang, Angang, Huang, Mingshan, Yuan, Xiaolong, Liu, Yuanyuan, Ji, Jingwei, Gao, Min, Huang, Minjie, Zhou, Cuiyun, Song, Tieqiang, Xu, Xingping, Liang, Zhaogang, Fang, Su, Chen, Dijun, Hou, Xia, Zhou, Xiaoji, Chen, Xuzong, Chen, Weibiao, Liu, Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Piscataway IEEE 01.06.2023; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: All-fiber laser system; Atom optics; Bose-Einstein Condensate in Microgravity; Cold atoms; Cooling; Fiber lasers; Laser beams; Microgravity; Optical fibers; Optical imaging; Optical polarization; Optical reflection; Phase noise; Space stations; The Cold Atom Physics Research Rack in Chinese Space Station; Ultra-cold atom
• ISSN: 1943-0655; 1943-0647
• DOI: 10.1109/JPHOT.2023.3266108

In microgravity, atoms can be prepared to a lower temperature and manipulated with a longer time. The Cold Atom Physics Research Rack (CAPR) in Chinese Space Station, which aims to prepare quantum degenerate gas for deep cooling and quantum simulation in microgravity, has been designed, realized, and validated. We built an integrated CAPR, consisting of a physical system, an all-fiber 780nm laser system and a low phase noise 1064nm fiber laser system, and an electrical driving and controlling system. With the CAPR, a 87 Rb quantum degenerate gas with 1.2ⅹ10 5 atoms and a temperature below 30nK was achieved on ground. In this article, we also show the robustness of the rack, based on the experimental results before and after the simulation of the vibration and impact during the launch.