This paper gives the 2010 self-consistent set of values of the basic constants and conversion factors of physics and chemistry recommended by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) for international use. The 2010 adjustment takes into account the data considered in the 2006 adjustment as well as the data that became available from 1 January 2007, after the closing date of that adjustment, until 31 December 2010, the closing date of the new adjustment. Further, it describes in detail the adjustment of the values of the constants, including the selection of the final set of input data based on the results of least-squares analyses. The 2010 set replaces the previously recommended 2006 CODATA set and may also be found on the World Wide Web at physics.nist.gov/constants.

/pdf/codata-recommended-values-of-the-fundamental-physical-4bsdant71c.pdf

CODATA Recommended Values of the Fundamental Physical Constants: 2006

Atomic polarization phenomena impinge upon a number of areas and processes in physics. The dielectric constant and refractive index of any gas are examples of macroscopic properties that are largely determined by the dipole polarizability. When it comes to microscopic phenomena, the existence of alkaline-earth anions and the recently discovered ability of positrons to bind to many atoms are predominantly due to the polarization interaction. An imperfect knowledge of atomic polarizabilities is presently looming as the largest source of uncertainty in the new generation of optical frequency standards. Accurate polarizabilities for the group I and II atoms and ions of the periodic table have recently become available by a variety of techniques. These include refined many-body perturbation theory and coupled-cluster calculations sometimes combined with precise experimental data for selected transitions, microwave spectroscopy of Rydberg atoms and ions, refractive index measurements in microwave cavities, ab initio calculations of atomic structures using explicitly correlated wavefunctions, interferometry with atom beams and velocity changes of laser cooled atoms induced by an electric field. This review examines existing theoretical methods of determining atomic and ionic polarizabilities, and discusses their relevance to various applications with particular emphasis on cold-atom physics and the metrology of atomic frequency standards.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0953-4075/43/20/202001/pdf

Theory and applications of atomic and ionic polarizabilities

Inertial sensors relying on atom interferometry offer a breakthrough advance in a variety of applications, such as inertial navigation, gravimetry or ground- and space-based tests of fundamental physics These instruments require a quiet environment to reach their performance and using them outside the laboratory remains a challenge Here we report the first operation of an airborne matter-wave accelerometer set up aboard a 0g plane and operating during the standard gravity (1g) and microgravity (0g) phases of the flight At 1g, the sensor can detect inertial effects more than 300 times weaker than the typical acceleration fluctuations of the aircraft We describe the improvement of the interferometer sensitivity in 0g, which reaches 2 x 10-4 ms-2 / \surdHz with our current setup We finally discuss the extension of our method to airborne and spaceborne tests of the Universality of free fall with matter waves

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00834705/document

Detecting inertial effects with airborne matter-wave interferometry

Position sensors with nanometer resolution are a key component of many precision imaging and fabrication machines. Since the sensor characteristics can define the linearity, resolution and speed of the machine, the sensor performance is a foremost consideration. The first goal of this article is to define concise performance metrics and to provide exact and approximate expressions for error sources including non-linearity, drift and noise. The second goal is to review current position sensor technologies and to compare their performance. The sensors considered include: resistive, piezoelectric and piezoresistive strain sensors; capacitive sensors; electrothermal sensors; eddy current sensors; linear variable displacement transformers; interferometers; and linear encoders.

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A review of nanometer resolution position sensors: Operation and performance

We review the history and current status of ion exchanged glass waveguide technology. The background of ion exchange in glass and key developments in the first years of research are briefly described. An overview of fabrication, characterization and modeling of waveguides is given and the most important waveguide devices and their applica- tions are discussed. Ion exchanged waveguide technology has served as an available platform for studies of general waveguide properties, in- tegrated optics structures and devices, as well as applications. It is also a commercial fabrication technology for both passive and active wave- guide components. C 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

/pdf/ion-exchanged-glass-waveguide-technology-a-review-2otonb5bhe.pdf

Ion-exchanged glass waveguide technology: a review

A new Watt balance project is now in progress at the Bureau National de Metrologie (BNM), Paris, France. In this paper, the general configuration and the main parts of the experimental setup currently in development are presented. The aim is to contribute to the international effort in monitoring the kilogram toward a new definition of the mass unit with a relative accuracy of 10/sup -8/ or better.

The BNM Watt balance project

We propose a method of displacement control that addresses the measurement requirements of the nanotechnology community and provide a traceability to the definition of the meter at the nanometric scale. The method is based on the use of both a heterodyne Michelson’s interferometer and a homemade high frequency electronic circuit. The system so established allows us to control the displacement of a translation stage with a known step of 4.945 nm. Intrinsic relative uncertainty on the step value is 1.6×10−9. Controls of the period of repetition of these steps with a high-stability quartz oscillator permits to impose an uniform speed to the translation stage with the same accuracy. This property will be used for the watt balance project of the Bureau National de Metrologie of France.

/pdf/heterodyne-interferometric-technique-for-displacement-4hiwf5f3dg.pdf

Heterodyne interferometric technique for displacement control at the nanometric scale

We propose a homemade sample-holder unit used for nanopositionning in two dimensions with a millimeter traveling range. For each displacement axis, the system includes a long range traveling stage and a piezoelectric actuator for accurate positioning. Specific electronics is integrated according to metrological considerations, enhancing the repeatability performances. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that near-field microscopy at the scale of a chip is possible. For this we chose to characterize highly integrated optical structures. For this purpose, the sample holder was integrated into an atomic force microscope. A millimeter scale topographical image demonstrates the overall performances of the combined system.

/pdf/enlarged-atomic-force-microscopy-scanning-scope-novel-sample-5gixab6iz5.pdf

Enlarged atomic force microscopy scanning scope: novel sample-holder device with millimeter range.

We propose a 2D displacement control system with sub-nanometric repeatability on position over the millimetre travel range on both axes. It could be useful for nanofabrication processes or other applications related to the nanotechnology community. In our case, the apparatus is planned to be used in atomic force microscopes and lithography systems as a sample-holding device. The method is based on a heterodyne interferometric sensor and a home-made high frequency phase-shifting electronic board. This paper presents the complete mechanical system and gives experimental results showing a repeatability of 0.5 nm over a moving range of 5 mm.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-0233/18/11/001/pdf

A 2D nano-positioning system with sub-nanometric repeatability over the millimetre displacement range

This paper shows the use of an extrinsic optical fiber displacement sensor as a low cost vibrometer and profilometer. Results obtained with our sensor are compared respectively to those given by a piezoelectric accelerometer and by a white-light interferometric microscope. Calibration step shows that the sensitivity of the optical fiber sensor is 77 μV/nm for the 140–220 μm range over a dynamic bandwidth of 8.5 kHz. The achieved resolution of the sensor is 1 nm/ Hz . The light source feed circuit is designed to reduce drifts. The short time stability of the sensor is 3×10−5 over 77 s in relative value.

S. Topcu

Papers

The BNM Watt balance project

Heterodyne interferometric technique for displacement control at the nanometric scale

Enlarged atomic force microscopy scanning scope: novel sample-holder device with millimeter range.

A 2D nano-positioning system with sub-nanometric repeatability over the millimetre displacement range

Applications of a high accuracy optical fiber displacement sensor to vibrometry and profilometry