Designing precision measurement of the gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect in microgravity

Abstract

The gravitational Aharonov-Bohm (GAB) effect serves as the gravitational counterpart to the electromagnetic Aharonov-Bohm effect. Despite the concept’s inception in 1967, a rigorous experimental test of the GAB effect remains elusive. While recent endeavors with ground-based apparatus show promise in uncovering hints of the GAB effect, we propose a precise yet practical experiment to deterministically measure the GAB phase shift using cold atom interferometry in a microgravity environment, such as an orbital space station or drop tower. We conduct a thorough analysis of the experiment’s principles and derive key parameters. Our calculations suggest that it is feasible to precisely measure a significant GAB phase shift within known engineering constraints. Additionally, our design of the cold atom interferometer possesses a unique sensitivity to potential but insensitivity to force, which can be further refined to effectively mitigate adverse effects associated with nonzero inertial forces acting on the cold atoms. These endeavors will ultimately pave the way for experimental exploration into the quantum nature of gravity.