[colloque] Towards sub-Hertz gravitational wave detection with atom interferometers

by Rémi Geiger

Tuesday 26 Jun 2018, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Paris

Grand amphi (LPSC)

This talk will present the perspective of using atom interferometry for gravitational wave detection in the sub Hertz frequency band. We will focus on light-pulse atom interferometers which have been subject to intense developments in the last 25 years. The principle of such detectors is to use free falling atoms laser cooled to micro Kelvin temperatures in order to measure the phase of a laser, which is modified by a passing gravitational wave. We will highlight the potential advantages of atom interferometry compared to optical interferometry for sub-Hertz detection, and the technical challenges for the realization of a gravitational wave detector based on atom interferometry. We will present the current progress and projects, in particular the Matter wave laser Interferometric Gravitation Antenna (MIGA) project under construction in France.