Magnetometry with a space-based differential atom interferometer

Nat. Commun. 17, 6089 (2026) · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-75230-2 · arXiv: 2505.23532

License: CC BY 4.0.

Abstract

Atom interferometers deployed in space are excellent tools for high precision measurements, navigation, or Earth observation. In particular, differential interferometric setups feature common-mode noise suppression and enable reliable measurements in the presence of ambient platform noise. Here we report on orbital magnetometry campaigns performed with differential single- and double-loop interferometers in NASA’s Cold Atom Lab aboard the International Space Station. By comparing measurements with atoms in magnetically sensitive and insensitive states, we have realized atomic magnetometers mapping magnetic field curvatures. Our results pave the way towards precision quantum sensing missions in space.

Figures

12 panels with data across 4 figures. Each panel page shows the plot, its columns and its files; each data.csv begins with a header naming the paper, the panel, the source, the license and the provenance route.

Fig. 1

Illustrative figure, no extractable data. Shown in the paper PDF.

Fig. 2

• panel (a): Atom paths in the $x$-$z$ plane, $z$ (mm) against $x$ (mm): the Bragg beam centre line (dashed), the in-trap transport (solid) from the evaporation trap (diamond) to the release trap (square), and the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ and $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ trajectories (dotted). Not hosted: the chip, the beam profile shading, the solid interferometry segments and the inset (b). data.csv
• panel (c): Trajectories of the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ and $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ atoms in the $x'$-$y'$ plane perpendicular to the Bragg beam, $y'$ (mm) against $x'$ (mm): dotted, with the interferometry segments solid. The Bragg beam centre (cross), its beam waist (dashed circle) and the release trap (square) are marked. data.csv
• panel (d): Thomas-Fermi radii $R_x$, $R_y$ and $R_z$ of the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ BEC, BEC radius ($\mu$m) against time of flight (ms); error bars are the standard deviation of repeated measurements. The two rectangles (AI area) mark when the atom interferometer is applied for $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (blue) and $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ (purple) atoms. data.csv

Fig. 3

• panel (a): Correlation of the relative populations $N_{\mathrm{rel,II}}$ against $N_{\mathrm{rel,I}}$ of the two Mach-Zehnder interferometers at $2T = 2.3$ ms with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ atoms: one open circle per shot, the fitted ellipse (line) and its confidence area (shaded region). data.csv
• panel (b): Correlation of the relative populations $N_{\mathrm{rel,II}}$ against $N_{\mathrm{rel,I}}$ of the two Mach-Zehnder interferometers at $2T = 10.3$ ms with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ atoms: one open circle per shot, the fitted ellipse (line) and its confidence area (shaded region). data.csv
• panel (c): Correlation of the relative populations $N_{\mathrm{rel,II}}$ against $N_{\mathrm{rel,I}}$ of the two Mach-Zehnder interferometers at $2T = 20.3$ ms with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ atoms: one open circle per shot, the fitted ellipse (line) and its confidence area (shaded region). data.csv
• panel (d): Visibility of each Mach-Zehnder interferometer, MZI I and MZI II, against interferometer time $2T$ (ms). Error bars are the 1$\sigma$ ellipse-fitting confidence bounds. The open markers at $2T = 24.3$ ms are the data not considered for further analysis. data.csv
• panel (e): Measured differential phase $|\Delta\phi|$ (rad) against interferometer time $2T$ (ms). Error bars are 1$\sigma$ bootstrap confidence bounds, extended to $\pi$ at $2T = 8.3$ and 20.3 ms. The open marker at $2T = 24.3$ ms is not considered for further analysis. data.csv

Fig. 4

• panel (a): Differential phase $|\Delta\phi|$ (rad) against $2T$ (ms): differential MZI with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (circles; open at $2T = 24.3$ ms) and $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ (diamonds), differential butterfly with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (triangles), the fit to the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ data and the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ upper bound, each with a shaded band. The dashed box marking panel (b) is not hosted. data.csv
• panel (b): Magnification of panel (a) for $|\Delta\phi|$ up to 1.15 rad, against $2T$ (ms): differential MZI with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (circles) and $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ (diamonds), differential butterfly with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (triangles), the fit to the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ data and the $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ upper bound with its shaded region. Error bars from ellipse fitting. data.csv
• panel (c): Visibility of the differential interferometer, the average of its two single interferometers, against $2T$ (ms): differential MZI with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (circles; open at $2T = 24.3$ ms) and $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 0$ (diamonds) atoms and differential butterfly with $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ (triangles). Error bars are the largest individual uncertainty. data.csv

Fig. 5

• panel (1): Magnetic field curvature $|B''|$ (nT/mm$^2$) against interferometer time $2T$ (ms) for $m_{\mathrm{F}} = 2$ atoms: one value per $2T$ from the individual analysis (points, error bars by error propagation) and the global fit of Fig. 4 (line, with its shaded uncertainty). data.csv

Cite

Matthias Meister et al. (19 authors). Magnetometry with a space-based differential atom interferometer. Nat. Commun. 17, 6089 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75230-2

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