Luigi Cacciapuoti

Scientist

 

Main Research Fields

My personal research focuses on precision measurements and fundamental physics tests based on quantum sensors. It includes both experimental and theoretical studies on:

  1. Cooling and trapping of neutral atoms with laser light
  2. Pure magnetic and optical confinement of ultra-cold atoms
  3. Bose-Einstein condensation
  4. Atom interferometry
  5. High-precision time & frequency metrology and atomic clocks
  6. Precision tests of general relativity and quantum mechanics, both from space and on the ground, with atomic clocks, matter-wave interferometers, space-to-ground links relying on classical and entangled states of light

My core activity is represented by the ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) mission, to which I am contributing as project scientist. ACES is developing high stability and accuracy clocks that will be deployed on-board the International Space Station (ISS). From there, the ACES clock signal will be compared to the best clocks on the ground to perform a precision measurement of the Einstein's gravitational time dilation and for Standard Model Extension tests.

In parallel, we are developing the next generation of atomic clocks and links based on transitions in the optical domain. This clock is going to improve the stability and accuracy delivered by ACES by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude.


Keywords

Cold atoms, laser cooling, magnetic and optical trapping, Bose-Einstein condensation, atom interferometry, atomic clocks, free space links, entangled states, fundamental physics tests, ACES, SOC, Space Quest

Ongoing collaborations

  • MAGIA (Misura Accurata di G mediante Interferometria Atomica) and MEGANTE (MEasuring the Gravitational constant with Atom interferometry for Novel fundamental physics TEst) experiment, in collaboration with the University of Firenze and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare). Both MAGIA is an atom interferometer which has already delivered an accurate measurement of the Newtonian gravitational constant and it is now used for gravity, gravity gradient and curvature measurements, as well as to test the Weak Equivalence Principle on quantum objects. MEGANTE, with a 4 m vertical tube, is the next generation experiment, currently under contruction, which will improve MAGIA results by at least one order of magnitude.

Publications

Pubblications list from ADS

Project/mission at ESA

  • ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) Project Scientist
  • I-SOC (ISS Space Optical Clock) Project Scientist