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In a groundbreaking study, physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have harnessed a cloud of atoms cooled to astonishingly low temperatures to measure acceleration across three dimensions simultaneously—a feat that many experts previously deemed unachievable. This innovative device, referred to as a new type of atom 'interferometer,' holds the potential to significantly enhance navigation technology for submarines, spacecraft, cars, and other vehicles in the near future.

According to Kendall Mehling, a co-author of the study and a graduate student in the Department of Physics at CU Boulder, 'Traditional atom interferometers can only measure acceleration in a single dimension, but we live within a three-dimensional world. To accurately determine my location and trajectory, I need to monitor my acceleration in all three dimensions.'

The research team published their findings in a paper entitled 'Vector atom accelerometry in an optical lattice' this month in the journal Science Advances. The team comprised Mehling, Catie LeDesma, a postdoctoral researcher in physics, and Murray Holland, a professor of physics who is also a fellow at JILA, a collaborative research institute between CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

This new device is a remarkable engineering achievement. Holland and his team utilize six lasers that are as thin as a human hair to confine a cloud of tens of thousands of rubidium atoms in a specific area. They then employ artificial intelligence to manipulate those lasers in intricate patterns, allowing them to observe the behavior of the atoms in response to minuscule accelerations, similar to the action of pressing down on the gas pedal in a vehicle.

Currently, the majority of vehicles track acceleration through GPS and conventional electronic devices known as accelerometers. While the quantum device developed by the CU Boulder team still has a considerable distance to cover before it can rival these existing technologies, the researchers are optimistic about the future of atomic-based navigation systems.

'If you leave a classical sensor exposed to various environments for several years, it will degrade and deteriorate,' Mehling explained. 'The springs in your measuring device can change shape over time. However, atoms do not age.'

Interferometers, in various forms, have played a vital role in scientific advancements for centuries. They have been instrumental in tasks ranging from the transmission of information through optical fibers to the detection of gravitational waves—ripples in the fabric of spacetime.

The fundamental principle behind interferometry involves separating entities and then recombining them, reminiscent of unzipping and then zipping up a jacket.

In the realm of laser interferometry, researchers first direct a beam of laser light and subsequently divide it into two identical beams that traverse separate paths. Ultimately, these beams are brought back together. If they have encountered different influences during their journeys, such as varying gravitational effects, they may not align perfectly upon recombination.

In simpler terms, it’s akin to a zipper getting stuck. Scientists can analyze the discrepancies in the two beams, which were once identical, due to their interference with one another—hence the term 'interferometer.'

In the present study, the research team achieved similar results using atoms instead of light. The device is currently compact enough to fit on a bench approximately the size of an air hockey table. Initially, the researchers cool a collection of rubidium atoms to temperatures just a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero.

At these frigid conditions, the atoms enter a peculiar quantum state of matter known as a Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC). Notably, Carl Wieman, previously a physicist at CU Boulder, and Eric Cornell of JILA were awarded a Nobel Prize in 2001 for their pioneering work in creating the first BEC.

Following this, the team uses laser light to jostle the atoms, effectively splitting them apart. However, this doesn't imply that groups of atoms are physically separating; rather, each individual atom enters a ghostly quantum state known as superposition, wherein it can exist in two places simultaneously.

As the atoms split and diverge, these 'ghosts' travel away from each other along two different paths. It is important to note that during the current experiment, the device itself was not physically moved; instead, lasers were employed to exert force on the atoms, inducing acceleration.

'Our Bose-Einstein Condensate acts like a pond of matter waves, and we cast stones made of tiny packets of light into the pond, generating ripples that radiate left and right,' Holland elaborated. 'Once the ripples have dispersed, we reflect them back and recombine them, where they interfere with each other.'

Upon reuniting, the atoms create a distinctive pattern—akin to the interference pattern produced by the two laser beams, albeit more complex. This resultant pattern is reminiscent of a fingerprint etched onto glass.

'We can analyze that fingerprint and extract the acceleration experienced by the atoms,' Holland stated.

The construction of this device was no small feat; the team dedicated nearly three years to its development.

'Given its capabilities, our current experimental device is remarkably compact. Despite having 18 laser beams passing through the vacuum chamber containing our atom cloud, the entire setup is compact enough to potentially be deployed in practical applications someday,' LeDesma remarked.

One of the crucial factors contributing to this achievement lies in the application of machine learning—a form of artificial intelligence. Holland explained that the process of splitting and recombining the rubidium atoms necessitates precise adjustments to the lasers through a complex series of steps. To optimize this, the team trained a computer program that can pre-plan those movements.

As it stands, the device is only capable of measuring accelerations that are several thousand times smaller than the force of Earth's gravity, whereas currently available technologies surpass this capability. However, the research group is actively enhancing the engineering aspects of their quantum device, with aspirations to significantly improve its performance over the next few years. The promise embodied in this technology underscores the remarkable potential of atomic systems.

'We aren't entirely sure of all the implications arising from this research, as it paves the way for new possibilities,' Holland concluded.

For further insights, refer to the study: Catie LeDesma et al, 'Vector atom accelerometry in an optical lattice,' published in Science Advances (2025), DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adt7480.