A three-layer magnetic shielding for the MAIUS-1 mission on a sounding rocket

Journal Article · Wed Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4952586· OSTI ID:22597954

Kubelka-Lange, André; Herrmann, Sven; Grosse, Jens; Lämmerzahl, Claus ^[1]; Rasel, Ernst M. ^[2]; Braxmaier, Claus ^[1]

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1. Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), University of Bremen, Am Fallturm, 28359 Bremen (Germany)
2. Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover (Germany)

Bose-Einstein-Condensates (BECs) can be used as a very sensitive tool for experiments on fundamental questions in physics like testing the equivalence principle using matter wave interferometry. Since the sensitivity of these experiments in ground-based environments is limited by the available free fall time, the QUANTUS project started to perform BEC interferometry experiments in micro-gravity. After successful campaigns in the drop tower, the next step is a space-borne experiment. The MAIUS-mission will be an atom-optical experiment that will show the feasibility of experiments with ultra-cold quantum gases in microgravity in a sounding rocket. The experiment will create a BEC of 10{sup 5} {sup 87}Rb-atoms in less than 5 s and will demonstrate application of basic atom interferometer techniques over a flight time of 6 min. The hardware is specifically designed to match the requirements of a sounding rocket mission. Special attention is thereby spent on the appropriate magnetic shielding from varying magnetic fields during the rocket flight, since the experiment procedures are very sensitive to external magnetic fields. A three-layer magnetic shielding provides a high shielding effectiveness factor of at least 1000 for an undisturbed operation of the experiment. The design of this magnetic shielding, the magnetic properties, simulations, and tests of its suitability for a sounding rocket flight are presented in this article.

• OSTI ID: 22597954
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 87, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATOMS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
EQUIVALENCE PRINCIPLE
GASES
GRAVITATION
INTERFEROMETERS
INTERFEROMETRY
LAYERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIC SHIELDING
MATTER
ROCKETS
RUBIDIUM 87
SENSITIVITY
SIMULATION
SOUND WAVES