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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference

Multiple Beam Atom Interferometer

Martin Weitz, Tobias Heupel, Theodor W. Hänsch

Published Jan 1, 1997• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We report on the demonstration of a multiple beam atom interferometer. While in conventional two-beam atom interferometers a sinusoidal fringe pattern is observed, the fringe pattern measured here resembles the more sharply peaked Airy function known, e.g., from an optical Fabry–Perot resonator. This technique promises to yield an increased precision in atom inter-ferometric measurements of, e.g., rotation or gravitation, since the obtained interference fringes are sharper than those of the corresponding two-beam atom interferometer.

Related papers

Multiple Beam Atomic Interferometer

Martin Weitz, Tobias Heupel, Theodor W. Hänsch

We have demonstrated a multiple beam atom interferometer. Atoms in a cesium atomic beam are optically pumped into a spatially separating nonabsorbing superposition state consisting of five partial beams in different Zeeman sublevels separated by a momentum of two photon recoils each. When the partial waves are spatially recombined, we observe an interference signal which shows the sharply peaked Airy pattern characteristic for multiple beam interference.

Physical Review Letters•Sep 16, 1996•73 citations

Collapse and revival of the fringe pattern in a multiple-beam atom interferometer

Martin Weitz, Tobias Heupel, Theodor W. Hänsch

We report on the observation of collapse and revival of the fringe pattern in a multiple-beam atom interferometer, when the drift time between the beam splitting processes is varied. The atomic beam splitters are realized with laser pulses pumping the atoms into velocity selective dark states. For small drift times, the interference signal shows the sharply peaked Airy function-like pattern characteristic for multiple-beam interference. The fringe pattern collapses for larger drift times due to a recoil phase shift increasing quadratically with the transverse atomic momentum. When the total interaction time reaches an integer multiple of the inverse two-photon recoil energy in frequency units, the original fringe pattern is revived.

Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Mar 10, 1997•13 citations

Multi-wave atom interferometer based on Doppler-insensitive Raman transition

Lele Chen, Ke Zhang, Yaoyao Xu +4 more

An atom interferometer based on Doppler-insensitive Raman transition is proposed, which has sharply peaked interference fringes for multi-wave interference. We show that two sets of counter-propagating Doppler-insensitive Raman beam pairs can be used to construct a new type of multi-wave beam splitter, which can be used to construct an atom interferometer. Although the spacing between adjacent diffraction orders of the interferometer is small, they can be distinguished by the internal state of the atom. Our analysis shows that the width of the fringes of this atom interferometer is inversely proportional to the width (duration) of the beam splitter and the Rabi frequency of the Raman beams, that is, the interferometer can achieve high resolution at high light intensity and long pulse width.

Optics Express•Feb 25, 2020•2 citations

Three-beam atom interferometer

H. Hinderthür, Andreas Pautz, V. Rieger +4 more

We present an atom interferometer based on the interference of three partial matter waves in three different internal and external states. Coherent laser excitation acts as a beamsplitter to create a superposition state of the ground state and two Zeeman sublevels of the metastable state of magnesium atoms. The interference pattern of the output ports shows high contrast and the characteristics of three-beam interferences as known from optical interferometry. In comparison to two-beam interferometry a reduction of the fringe width of (32\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}8)% is observed. This offers various possibilities for improved measurements of quantum-mechanical phases due to the internal atomic-state sensitive coupling of external potentials. This is demonstrated for the interaction of magnesium atoms with an external magnetic field.

Physical Review A•Sep 1, 1997•22 citations

Atom Interferometer Based on Bragg Scattering from Standing Light Waves

David M. Giltner, Roger W. McGowan, S. A. Lee

We have constructed an atom interferometer by Bragg deflecting a collimated beam of metastable neon atoms from three parallel standing waves. Interference fringes have been observed using atoms Bragg scattered at up to the third order, giving a maximum of $6\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k$ transverse momentum difference between the two arms of the interferometer. In the first order case we have achieved a fringe contrast of 62% and a peak to peak signal of 1700 atoms/s. We believe this to be the highest fringe contrast that has been achieved in atom interferometers.

Physical Review Letters•Oct 2, 1995•260 citations

EPS-9 Parallel Sessions: Techniques Dominate Advances

The Optics and Interferometry with Atoms symposium provided an opportunity for a general audience to learn about develop ments of this new field.The goal of atom optics is to do with atoms what usual optics does with photons, e.g., reflection, refraction, focusing, interference.Two techniques have been used up to now in order to act on atomic trajectories: interaction with quasiresonant laser light and interaction with diffracting fabricated microstructures.In his introduction, J. Mlynek (Constance) explained that several basic elements of atom optics have already been demonstrated (mirrors, lenses, beam splitters, interferome ters) but many improvements are still expec ted.He also anticipated exciting applications.For instance, atomic microprobes will use particles much less energetic that electronic microscopes (meV instead of KeV) and ato mic interferometers will permit highly sensi tive measurements of gravitational or Inertial effects, both for detection purposes and for fundamental tests of relativity.An example of an atomic interferometer, based on a idea by C. Borde using Ramsey fringes, was described F. Riehle (PTB, Braunschweig).Sensitivity to rotations has been demonstrated, light-shifts measured, and a new experiment based on cold, trap ped atoms instead of an atomic beam is in progress.J. Robert (Paris-Nord) reviewed the basic principles of Stern-Gerlach inter ferometry for application to the so-called "scalar Bohm-Aharonov effect"; a new scheme involving four interaction zones should yield new results.Finally J. Dalibard (Paris) described the atomic cavity based on a concave mirror for bouncing atoms (Fig. 1).It opens the path to the observation of multiple atomic multiple interferences, i.e., observing the modes of an atomic cavity.The ultimate goal would be to accumulate many bosonic atoms in the same mode to realise the atomic equivalent of a laser mode filled with many photons.

Europhysics news•Jan 1, 1993•0 citations
We report on the demonstration of a multiple beam atom interferometer. While in conventional two-beam atom interferometers a sinusoidal fringe pattern is observed, the fringe pattern measured here resembles the more sharply peaked Airy function known, e.g., from an optical Fabry–Perot resonator. This technique promises to yield an increased precision in atom inter-ferometric measurements of, e.g., rotation or gravitation, since the obtained interference fringes are sharper than those of the corresponding two-beam atom interferometer.
We report on the observation of collapse and revival of the fringe pattern in a multiple-beam atom interferometer, when the drift time between the beam splitting processes is varied. The atomic beam splitters are realized with laser pulses pumping the atoms into velocity selective dark states. For small drift times, the interference signal shows the sharply peaked Airy function-like pattern characteristic for multiple-beam interference. The fringe pattern collapses for larger drift times due to a recoil phase shift increasing quadratically with the transverse atomic momentum. When the total interaction time reaches an integer multiple of the inverse two-photon recoil energy in frequency units, the original fringe pattern is revived.
An atom interferometer based on Doppler-insensitive Raman transition is proposed, which has sharply peaked interference fringes for multi-wave interference. We show that two sets of counter-propagating Doppler-insensitive Raman beam pairs can be used to construct a new type of multi-wave beam splitter, which can be used to construct an atom interferometer. Although the spacing between adjacent diffraction orders of the interferometer is small, they can be distinguished by the internal state of the atom. Our analysis shows that the width of the fringes of this atom interferometer is inversely proportional to the width (duration) of the beam splitter and the Rabi frequency of the Raman beams, that is, the interferometer can achieve high resolution at high light intensity and long pulse width.
We present an atom interferometer based on the interference of three partial matter waves in three different internal and external states. Coherent laser excitation acts as a beamsplitter to create a superposition state of the ground state and two Zeeman sublevels of the metastable state of magnesium atoms. The interference pattern of the output ports shows high contrast and the characteristics of three-beam interferences as known from optical interferometry. In comparison to two-beam interferometry a reduction of the fringe width of (32\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}8)% is observed. This offers various possibilities for improved measurements of quantum-mechanical phases due to the internal atomic-state sensitive coupling of external potentials. This is demonstrated for the interaction of magnesium atoms with an external magnetic field.
We have constructed an atom interferometer by Bragg deflecting a collimated beam of metastable neon atoms from three parallel standing waves. Interference fringes have been observed using atoms Bragg scattered at up to the third order, giving a maximum of $6\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k$ transverse momentum difference between the two arms of the interferometer. In the first order case we have achieved a fringe contrast of 62% and a peak to peak signal of 1700 atoms/s. We believe this to be the highest fringe contrast that has been achieved in atom interferometers.
The Optics and Interferometry with Atoms symposium provided an opportunity for a general audience to learn about develop ments of this new field.The goal of atom optics is to do with atoms what usual optics does with photons, e.g., reflection, refraction, focusing, interference.Two techniques have been used up to now in order to act on atomic trajectories: interaction with quasiresonant laser light and interaction with diffracting fabricated microstructures.In his introduction, J. Mlynek (Constance) explained that several basic elements of atom optics have already been demonstrated (mirrors, lenses, beam splitters, interferome ters) but many improvements are still expec ted.He also anticipated exciting applications.For instance, atomic microprobes will use particles much less energetic that electronic microscopes (meV instead of KeV) and ato mic interferometers will permit highly sensi tive measurements of gravitational or Inertial effects, both for detection purposes and for fundamental tests of relativity.An example of an atomic interferometer, based on a idea by C. Borde using Ramsey fringes, was described F. Riehle (PTB, Braunschweig).Sensitivity to rotations has been demonstrated, light-shifts measured, and a new experiment based on cold, trap ped atoms instead of an atomic beam is in progress.J. Robert (Paris-Nord) reviewed the basic principles of Stern-Gerlach inter ferometry for application to the so-called "scalar Bohm-Aharonov effect"; a new scheme involving four interaction zones should yield new results.Finally J. Dalibard (Paris) described the atomic cavity based on a concave mirror for bouncing atoms (Fig. 1).It opens the path to the observation of multiple atomic multiple interferences, i.e., observing the modes of an atomic cavity.The ultimate goal would be to accumulate many bosonic atoms in the same mode to realise the atomic equivalent of a laser mode filled with many photons.