The accelerometer plays a crucial role in inertial navigation. The performance of conventional accelerometers such as lasers is usually limited by the sensing elements and shot noise limitation (SNL). Here, we propose an advanced development of an accelerometer based on atom–light quantum correlation, which is composed of a cold atomic ensemble, light beams, and an atomic vapor cell. The cold atomic ensemble, prepared in a magneto-optical trap and free-falling in a vacuum chamber, interacts with light beams to generate atom–light quantum correlation. The atomic vapor cell is used as both a memory element storing the correlated photons emitted from cold atoms and a bandwidth controller through the control of free evolution time. Instead of using a conventional sensing element, the proposed accelerometer employs interference between quantum-correlated atoms and light to measure acceleration. Sensitivity below SNL can be achieved due to atom–light quantum correlation, even in the presence of optical loss and atomic decoherence. Sensitivity can be achieved at the $\mathrm{ng}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ level, based on evaluation via practical experimental conditions. The present design has a number of significant advantages over conventional accelerometers such as SNL-broken sensitivity, broad bandwidth from a few hundred Hz to near MHz, and avoidance of the technical restrictions of conventional sensing elements.

中文翻译：

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具有多带宽的记忆辅助量子加速度计

加速度计在惯性导航中起着至关重要的作用。激光等传统加速度计的性能通常受到传感元件和散粒噪声限制 (SNL) 的限制。在这里，我们提出了一种基于原子-光量子相关性的加速度计的先进开发，该加速度计由冷原子集合、光束和原子蒸气室组成。在磁光阱中制备并在真空室中自由落体的冷原子系综与光束相互作用以产生原子-光量子关联。原子蒸汽电池既用作存储从冷原子发射的相关光子的存储元件，又用作通过控制自由演化时间的带宽控制器。代替使用传统的传感元件，所提出的加速度计采用量子相关原子和光之间的干涉来测量加速度。由于原子-光量子相关性，即使存在光学损失和原子退相干，也可以实现低于 SNL 的灵敏度。灵敏度可以在$吴/\sqrt{\mathrm{赫兹}}$水平，基于通过实际实验条件的评估。与传统加速度计相比，本设计具有许多显着优势，例如 SNL 破坏灵敏度、从几百赫兹到近兆赫兹的宽带宽以及避免传统传感元件的技术限制。