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:2112.09666 · Physical Review Applied

Continuous Sub-Doppler-Cooled Atomic Beam Interferometer for Inertial Sensing

Jonathan M. Kwolek, Adam T. Black

Published Feb 23, 2022• 43 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In atomic sensors, continuous interrogation of laser-cooled atoms carries the benefits of improved sensitivity and high measurement bandwidth. However, cooling in proximity to coherent atomic state evolution can degrade performance in compact systems, due to decoherence. This study demonstrates an inertially sensitive matter-wave interferometer in a three-dimensionally-cooled atomic beam that mitigates decoherence while operating continuously. The technique could enable compact atom-interferometer sensors that measure continuously and with high sensitivity on dynamic platforms.

DOI
10.1103/physrevapplied.17.024061

Related papers

High-bandwidth, sub-Doppler atomic beam interferometry

Adam T. Black, Jonathan M. Kwolek

Through the use of a high-flux rubidium beam source with sub-Doppler temperatures in three dimensions, we have demonstrated an inertially sensitive atom interferometer featuring high contrast, low noise, and continuous measurement with high bandwidth. We describe the cold-atom source and the optical design that optimizes interferometer contrast. Finally, we demonstrate useful features enabled by this architecture, such as continuous phase shear readout and rapid reversal of inertial sensitivity. This demonstration may enable future cold-atom sensors that measure with both high sensitivity and high bandwidth.

Optical and Quantum Sensing and Precision Metrology II•Mar 3, 2022•0 citations

Time-domain control of a spatial-domain atomic beam interferometer

Adam T. Black, Hans J. Haucke, Sunil Kumar Upadhyay +2 more

Atom interferometers that operate in the spatial domain through continuous measurement of an atomic beam provide benefits in the elimination of sensor dead time and reduced sensitivity to certain noise sources. Further improving its operation, time-domain control of a spatial-domain interferometer can provide necessary methods of error suppression and dynamic range improvement. We model numerically and experimentally demonstrate methods of time-domain control in a 3D-cooled atomic beam interferometer. We demonstrate suppression of magnetic-field-induced phase noise through rapid reversal of the direction of inertial sensitivity at a rate faster than the inverse interrogation time of the interferometer.

Optical and Quantum Sensing and Precision Metrology II•Mar 13, 2024•2 citations

Decoherence and dynamics in continuous 3D-cooled atom interferometry

Adam T. Black, Jonathan M. Kwolek, Charles Fancher +1 more

We study decoherence in continuously cooled atom interferometers by performing Raman-Ramsey fringe measurements in a continuous beam of 3D-sub-Doppler-cooled rubidium atoms. The atom beam is produced by a two-stage cold atom source that is designed to mitigate the decoherence of atomic interference caused by cooling induced fluorescence. The atom beam source produces a collimated beam of over 109 atoms/s that is cooled by polarization gradient cooling to temperatures as low as 14 µK. We infer the potential performance of this atom beam source in a cold-atom gyroscope and use numerical models of motion in 6 degrees of freedom to study the expected performance on dynamic platforms.

Optical and Quantum Sensing and Precision Metrology II•Feb 25, 2020•7 citations

Closed-loop dual-atom-interferometer inertial sensor with continuous cold atomic beams

Zhi-Xin Meng, Pei-Qiang Yan, Shengzhe Wang +3 more

We demonstrate a closed-loop light-pulse atom-interferometer inertial sensor that can realize continuous decoupled measurements of acceleration and rotation rate. The sensor operates with double-loop atom interferometers, which share the same Raman light pulses in a spatially separated Mach-Zehnder configuration and use continuous cold atomic beams propagating in opposite directions from two ${\text{2D}}^{+}$ magneto-optical trappings. Acceleration and the rotation rate are decoupled and simultaneously measured by the sum and difference of dual-atom-interferometer signals, respectively. The sensitivities of inertial measurements are also increased to be approximately 1.86 times higher than that of a single atom interferometer. The acceleration phase shift is compensated in real time by phase locking these interferometers via the Raman laser phases from the sum-interferometer signal, and the gyroscope performance is improved. We achieve long-term stabilities of $6.1\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{\ensuremath{\mu}}\text{g}$ and 840 nrad/s for the acceleration and the rotation rate, respectively, using a short interrogation time of 0.87 ms (interference area $A=0.097\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\text{mm}}^{2}$). This work provides a building block for an atomic interferometer-based inertial measurement unit for use in field applications that require a high data rate and high stability.

arXiv:2210.15346•Physical Review Applied•Mar 22, 2024•21 citations

A continuous cold atomic beam interferometer

Hongbo Xue, Yanying Feng, Shu Chen +4 more

We demonstrate an atom interferometer that uses a laser-cooled continuous beam of 87Rb atoms having velocities of 10–20 m/s. With spatially separated Raman beams to coherently manipulate the atomic wave packets, Mach–Zehnder interference fringes are observed at an interference distance of 2L = 19 mm. The apparatus operates within a small enclosed area of 0.07 mm2 at a bandwidth of 190 Hz with a deduced sensitivity of 7.8×10−5 rad/s/Hz for rotations. Using a low-velocity continuous atomic source in an atom interferometer enables high sampling rates and bandwidths without sacrificing sensitivity and compactness, which are important for applications in real dynamic environments.

arXiv:1402.3822•Journal of Applied Physics•Mar 2, 2015•37 citations

A Dual Atomic Interferometric Inertial Sensor Utilizing Transversely Cooled Atomic Beams

Weichen Jia, Peiqiang Yan, Shengzhe Wang +1 more

Light-pulsed atomic interferometers provide a promising quantum-based solution for inertial navigation applications. In this paper, we present an atomic interferometric inertial sensor designed to simultaneously measure rotation rate and acceleration, through continuous sampling using dual87Rb atomic beams as matter-wave sources. We observe Raman-Ramsey and Raman-Mach-Zehnder interferences and validate the inertial sensing capability by comparing the results with a classical quartz accelerometer and an optical-fiber gyroscope. Our work can serve as a foundational element for the development of a fully quantum inertial measurement unit characterized with a high data rate and large bandwidth.

IEEE International Symposium on Inertial Sensors and Systems (INERTIAL)•Mar 25, 2024•0 citations
In atomic sensors, continuous interrogation of laser-cooled atoms carries the benefits of improved sensitivity and high measurement bandwidth. However, cooling in proximity to coherent atomic state evolution can degrade performance in compact systems, due to decoherence. This study demonstrates an inertially sensitive matter-wave interferometer in a three-dimensionally-cooled atomic beam that mitigates decoherence while operating continuously. The technique could enable compact atom-interferometer sensors that measure continuously and with high sensitivity on dynamic platforms.
Through the use of a high-flux rubidium beam source with sub-Doppler temperatures in three dimensions, we have demonstrated an inertially sensitive atom interferometer featuring high contrast, low noise, and continuous measurement with high bandwidth. We describe the cold-atom source and the optical design that optimizes interferometer contrast. Finally, we demonstrate useful features enabled by this architecture, such as continuous phase shear readout and rapid reversal of inertial sensitivity. This demonstration may enable future cold-atom sensors that measure with both high sensitivity and high bandwidth.
Atom interferometers that operate in the spatial domain through continuous measurement of an atomic beam provide benefits in the elimination of sensor dead time and reduced sensitivity to certain noise sources. Further improving its operation, time-domain control of a spatial-domain interferometer can provide necessary methods of error suppression and dynamic range improvement. We model numerically and experimentally demonstrate methods of time-domain control in a 3D-cooled atomic beam interferometer. We demonstrate suppression of magnetic-field-induced phase noise through rapid reversal of the direction of inertial sensitivity at a rate faster than the inverse interrogation time of the interferometer.
We study decoherence in continuously cooled atom interferometers by performing Raman-Ramsey fringe measurements in a continuous beam of 3D-sub-Doppler-cooled rubidium atoms. The atom beam is produced by a two-stage cold atom source that is designed to mitigate the decoherence of atomic interference caused by cooling induced fluorescence. The atom beam source produces a collimated beam of over 109 atoms/s that is cooled by polarization gradient cooling to temperatures as low as 14 µK. We infer the potential performance of this atom beam source in a cold-atom gyroscope and use numerical models of motion in 6 degrees of freedom to study the expected performance on dynamic platforms.
We demonstrate a closed-loop light-pulse atom-interferometer inertial sensor that can realize continuous decoupled measurements of acceleration and rotation rate. The sensor operates with double-loop atom interferometers, which share the same Raman light pulses in a spatially separated Mach-Zehnder configuration and use continuous cold atomic beams propagating in opposite directions from two 2D+{\text{2D}}^{+}2D+ magneto-optical trappings. Acceleration and the rotation rate are decoupled and simultaneously measured by the sum and difference of dual-atom-interferometer signals, respectively. The sensitivities of inertial measurements are also increased to be approximately 1.86 times higher than that of a single atom interferometer. The acceleration phase shift is compensated in real time by phase locking these interferometers via the Raman laser phases from the sum-interferometer signal, and the gyroscope performance is improved. We achieve long-term stabilities of $6.1\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{\ensuremath{\mu}}\text{g}$ and 840 nrad/s for the acceleration and the rotation rate, respectively, using a short interrogation time of 0.87 ms (interference area A=0.097mm2A=0.097\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\text{mm}}^{2}A=0.097mm2). This work provides a building block for an atomic interferometer-based inertial measurement unit for use in field applications that require a high data rate and high stability.
We demonstrate an atom interferometer that uses a laser-cooled continuous beam of 87Rb atoms having velocities of 10–20 m/s. With spatially separated Raman beams to coherently manipulate the atomic wave packets, Mach–Zehnder interference fringes are observed at an interference distance of 2L = 19 mm. The apparatus operates within a small enclosed area of 0.07 mm2 at a bandwidth of 190 Hz with a deduced sensitivity of 7.8×10−5 rad/s/Hz for rotations. Using a low-velocity continuous atomic source in an atom interferometer enables high sampling rates and bandwidths without sacrificing sensitivity and compactness, which are important for applications in real dynamic environments.
Light-pulsed atomic interferometers provide a promising quantum-based solution for inertial navigation applications. In this paper, we present an atomic interferometric inertial sensor designed to simultaneously measure rotation rate and acceleration, through continuous sampling using dual87Rb atomic beams as matter-wave sources. We observe Raman-Ramsey and Raman-Mach-Zehnder interferences and validate the inertial sensing capability by comparing the results with a classical quartz accelerometer and an optical-fiber gyroscope. Our work can serve as a foundational element for the development of a fully quantum inertial measurement unit characterized with a high data rate and large bandwidth.