绝对重力仪是直接开展绝对重力测量的精密计量仪器。绝对重力测量是指对地球表面重力加速度值的直接测量,其在地球科学和计量科学等领域都有十分重要的应用。历史上最早的绝对重力测量约在1590年。1590~1960年,主要利用摆仪的摆长和自由摆周期来开展绝对重力测量。自1960年起,随着激光技术的发明,高精度绝对重力测量有了新的发展,人们开始利用宏观物体自由运动(自由下落或上抛)的方法开展绝对重力测量,形成了激光干涉绝对重力仪。1991年,美国斯坦福大学朱棣文教授小组首次利用冷原子团的自由运动进行绝对重力测量,实现了第一台原子干涉绝对重力仪。中国计量科学研究院是我国最早开展绝对重力仪研制的单位,本文结合中国计量科学研究院绝对重力仪研制经验,综述了激光干涉绝对重力仪和原子干涉绝对重力仪的技术发展,尤其是激光技术的发明对绝对重力仪的技术发展带来的革命性技术变革。

Absolute gravimeter is a precise metrological instrument for absolute gravimetry. Absolute gravimetry refers in particular to the measurement of acceleration of gravity on the earth directly which finds important applications in earth sciences and metrology. The earliest absolute gravimetry was performed in the year of 1590. From 1590 to 1960, pendulum principle was the main method to perform the absolute gravimetry. From 1960, with the invention of the laser technology, people began to use laser absolute gravimeter to perform the absolute gravimetry by measuring the free motion (falling or rising freely) of an object, which is the big progress in the history of precise gravity measurement. In 1991, the group of professor Steven Chu from Standford University used the free motion of laser cooling atoms and atom interferometry technology to perform the absolute gravimetry for the first time, which successfully developed the first atom interferometry absolute gravimeter in the world. National Institute of Metrology (NIM) China is the first organization to research absolute gravimeter in China. Taking the example of development of absolute gravimeter in NIM, we review the technical development of laser absolute gravimeter and atom interferometry absolute gravimeter, especially reveals the revolutionary contribution to the development of absolute gravimetry due to the invention of laser technology.