Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:0903.4192 · Physical Review Letters

Atom Interferometers with Scalable Enclosed Area

Holger Müller, Sheng‐wey Chiow, Sven Herrmann, Steven Chu

Published Jun 18, 2009• 137 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Bloch oscillations (i.e., coherent acceleration of matter waves by an optical lattice) and Bragg diffraction are integrated into light-pulse atom interferometers with large momentum splitting between the interferometer arms, and hence enhanced sensitivity. Simultaneous acceleration of both arms in the same internal states suppresses systematic effects, and simultaneously running a pair of interferometers suppresses the effect of vibrations. Ramsey-Bordé interferometers using four such Bloch-Bragg-Bloch beam splitters exhibit 15% contrast at 24variant Planck's over 2pik splitting, the largest so far (variant Planck's over 2pik is the photon momentum); single beam splitters achieve 88variant Planck's over 2pik. The prospects for reaching 100 s of variant Planck's over 2pik and applications such as gravitational wave sensors are discussed.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.102.240403

Related papers

Atom Interferometry with up to 24-Photon-Momentum-Transfer Beam Splitters

Holger Müller, Sheng‐wey Chiow, Quan Long +2 more

We present up to 24-photon Bragg diffraction as a beam splitter in light-pulse atom interferometers to achieve the largest splitting in momentum space so far. Relative to the 2-photon processes used in the most sensitive present interferometers, these large momentum transfer beam splitters increase the phase shift 12-fold for Mach-Zehnder (MZ) and 144-fold for Ramsey-Bordé (RB) geometries. We achieve a high visibility of the interference fringes (up to 52% for MZ or 36% for RB) and long pulse separation times that are possible only in atomic fountain setups. As the atom's internal state is not changed, important systematic effects can cancel.

arXiv:0712.1990•Physical Review Letters•May 8, 2008•290 citations

102ℏk Large Area Atom Interferometers

Sheng‐wey Chiow, Tim Kovachy, Hui-Chun Chien +1 more

We demonstrate atom interferometers utilizing a novel beam splitter based on sequential multiphoton Bragg diffractions. With this sequential Bragg large momentum transfer (SB-LMT) beam splitter, we achieve high contrast atom interferometers with momentum splittings of up to 102 photon recoil momenta (102ℏk). To our knowledge, this is the highest momentum splitting achieved in any atom interferometer, advancing the state-of-the-art by an order of magnitude. We also demonstrate strong noise correlation between two simultaneous SB-LMT interferometers, which alleviates the need for ultralow noise lasers and ultrastable inertial environments in some future applications. Our method is intrinsically scalable and can be used to dramatically increase the sensitivity of atom interferometers in a wide range of applications, including inertial sensing, measuring the fine structure constant, and detecting gravitational waves.

Physical Review Letters•Sep 19, 2011•291 citations

Noise-Immune Conjugate Large-Area Atom Interferometers

Sheng‐wey Chiow, Sven Herrmann, Steven Chu +1 more

We present a pair of simultaneous conjugate Ramsey-Bordé atom interferometers using large (20variant Planck's over 2pik)-momentum transfer beam splitters, where variant Planck's over 2pik is the photon momentum. Simultaneous operation allows for common-mode rejection of vibrational noise. This allows us to surpass the enclosed space-time area of previous interferometers with a splitting of 20variant Planck's over 2pik by a factor of 2500. Using a splitting of 10variant Planck's over 2pik, we demonstrate a 3.4 ppb resolution in the measurement of the fine structure constant. Examples for applications in tests of fundamental laws of physics are given.

arXiv:0901.1819•Physical Review Letters•Jul 28, 2009•69 citations

Measuring the fine structure constant using multiphoton atom interferometry

Holger Müller, Sheng‐wey Chiow, Sven Herrmann +1 more

24-photon Bragg diffraction of matter waves by light pulses increases the splitting between the arms of Ramsey-Borde or Mach-Zehnder atom interferometers, leading to up to 144-fold sensitivity. Simultaneous conjugate interferometers reject noise.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2008•0 citations

High-Resolution Atom Interferometers with Suppressed Diffraction Phases

Brian Estey, C. X. Yu, Holger Müller +2 more

We experimentally and theoretically study the diffraction phase of large-momentum transfer beam splitters in atom interferometers based on Bragg diffraction. We null the diffraction phase and increase the sensitivity of the interferometer by combining Bragg diffraction with Bloch oscillations. We demonstrate agreement between experiment and theory, and a 1500-fold reduction of the diffraction phase, limited by measurement noise. In addition to reduced systematic effects, our interferometer has high contrast with up to 4.4×10(6) radians of phase difference, and a resolution in the fine structure constant of δα/α=0.25 ppb in 25 h of integration time.

arXiv:1410.8486•Physical Review Letters•Aug 20, 2015•62 citations

Offset simultaneous conjugate atom interferometers

Weicheng Zhong, Richard H. Parker, Zachary Pagel +2 more

Correlating the signals from simultaneous atom interferometers has enabled some of the most precise determinations of fundamental constants. Here, we show that multiple simultaneous interferometers with strategically chosen initial conditions (offset simultaneous conjugate interferometers) can provide multichannel readouts that measure or suppress specific signals and systematic effects. We create two pairs of simultaneous conjugate interferometers and precisely control the offset between them with Bragg diffraction and Bloch oscillations. This allows us to cancel the effect of acceleration gradients, a major systematic effect in many atom interferometry measurements. It also reduces the undesired diffraction phase from Bragg diffraction beam splitters by a factor of 6. This work paves the way for measurements of the fine-structure constant below the 10-part-per-trillion level. It can also be generalized for isotope-mass-ratio measurements.

arXiv:1901.03487•Physical Review A•May 14, 2020•1 citation
Bloch oscillations (i.e., coherent acceleration of matter waves by an optical lattice) and Bragg diffraction are integrated into light-pulse atom interferometers with large momentum splitting between the interferometer arms, and hence enhanced sensitivity. Simultaneous acceleration of both arms in the same internal states suppresses systematic effects, and simultaneously running a pair of interferometers suppresses the effect of vibrations. Ramsey-Bordé interferometers using four such Bloch-Bragg-Bloch beam splitters exhibit 15% contrast at 24variant Planck's over 2pik splitting, the largest so far (variant Planck's over 2pik is the photon momentum); single beam splitters achieve 88variant Planck's over 2pik. The prospects for reaching 100 s of variant Planck's over 2pik and applications such as gravitational wave sensors are discussed.
We present up to 24-photon Bragg diffraction as a beam splitter in light-pulse atom interferometers to achieve the largest splitting in momentum space so far. Relative to the 2-photon processes used in the most sensitive present interferometers, these large momentum transfer beam splitters increase the phase shift 12-fold for Mach-Zehnder (MZ) and 144-fold for Ramsey-Bordé (RB) geometries. We achieve a high visibility of the interference fringes (up to 52% for MZ or 36% for RB) and long pulse separation times that are possible only in atomic fountain setups. As the atom's internal state is not changed, important systematic effects can cancel.
We demonstrate atom interferometers utilizing a novel beam splitter based on sequential multiphoton Bragg diffractions. With this sequential Bragg large momentum transfer (SB-LMT) beam splitter, we achieve high contrast atom interferometers with momentum splittings of up to 102 photon recoil momenta (102ℏk). To our knowledge, this is the highest momentum splitting achieved in any atom interferometer, advancing the state-of-the-art by an order of magnitude. We also demonstrate strong noise correlation between two simultaneous SB-LMT interferometers, which alleviates the need for ultralow noise lasers and ultrastable inertial environments in some future applications. Our method is intrinsically scalable and can be used to dramatically increase the sensitivity of atom interferometers in a wide range of applications, including inertial sensing, measuring the fine structure constant, and detecting gravitational waves.
We present a pair of simultaneous conjugate Ramsey-Bordé atom interferometers using large (20variant Planck's over 2pik)-momentum transfer beam splitters, where variant Planck's over 2pik is the photon momentum. Simultaneous operation allows for common-mode rejection of vibrational noise. This allows us to surpass the enclosed space-time area of previous interferometers with a splitting of 20variant Planck's over 2pik by a factor of 2500. Using a splitting of 10variant Planck's over 2pik, we demonstrate a 3.4 ppb resolution in the measurement of the fine structure constant. Examples for applications in tests of fundamental laws of physics are given.
We experimentally and theoretically study the diffraction phase of large-momentum transfer beam splitters in atom interferometers based on Bragg diffraction. We null the diffraction phase and increase the sensitivity of the interferometer by combining Bragg diffraction with Bloch oscillations. We demonstrate agreement between experiment and theory, and a 1500-fold reduction of the diffraction phase, limited by measurement noise. In addition to reduced systematic effects, our interferometer has high contrast with up to 4.4×10(6) radians of phase difference, and a resolution in the fine structure constant of δα/α=0.25 ppb in 25 h of integration time.
Correlating the signals from simultaneous atom interferometers has enabled some of the most precise determinations of fundamental constants. Here, we show that multiple simultaneous interferometers with strategically chosen initial conditions (offset simultaneous conjugate interferometers) can provide multichannel readouts that measure or suppress specific signals and systematic effects. We create two pairs of simultaneous conjugate interferometers and precisely control the offset between them with Bragg diffraction and Bloch oscillations. This allows us to cancel the effect of acceleration gradients, a major systematic effect in many atom interferometry measurements. It also reduces the undesired diffraction phase from Bragg diffraction beam splitters by a factor of 6. This work paves the way for measurements of the fine-structure constant below the 10-part-per-trillion level. It can also be generalized for isotope-mass-ratio measurements.