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Physical Review A

Spatial-contrast analysis in a cold-atom Sagnac interferometer with a single large Raman beam

Tae Hyun Kim, Sin Hyuk Yim, Kyu-Min Shim, Sangkyung Lee

Published Mar 29, 2017• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We have developed a cold atom Sagnac interferometer with a single large Raman beam. In combination with a time-of-flight measurement performed by thin probe beams, the variation in spatial contrast of the atomic Mach-Zehnder interference was analyzed by considering the spatial intensity profile of the single large Raman beam and the spatial density profile of the atomic cloud. Based on our analysis, we determined that contrast enhancement is attainable using the spatial selection of the atomic cloud but it reduces angular velocity sensitivity.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.95.033632

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We have developed a cold atom Sagnac interferometer with a single large Raman beam. In combination with a time-of-flight measurement performed by thin probe beams, the variation in spatial contrast of the atomic Mach-Zehnder interference was analyzed by considering the spatial intensity profile of the single large Raman beam and the spatial density profile of the atomic cloud. Based on our analysis, we determined that contrast enhancement is attainable using the spatial selection of the atomic cloud but it reduces angular velocity sensitivity.
We report on the realization of a compact atomic Mach–Zehnder-type Sagnac interferometer of 13.7 cm length, which covers an area of 19 mm 2 previously reported only for large thermal beam interferometers. According to Sagnac's formula, which holds for both light and atoms, the sensitivity for rotation rates increases linearly with the area enclosed by the interferometer. The use of cold atoms instead of thermal atoms enables miniaturization of Sagnac interferometers without sacrificing large areas. In comparison with thermal beams, slow atoms offer better matching of the initial beam velocity and the velocity with which the matter waves separate. In our case, the area is spanned by a cold atomic beam of 2.79 m s −1 , which is split, deflected and combined by driving a Raman transition between the two hyperfine ground states of 87 Rb in three spatially separated light zones. The use of cold atoms requires a precise angular alignment and high wave front quality of the three independent light zones over the cloud envelope. We present a procedure for mutually aligning the beam splitters at the microradian level by making use of the atom interferometer itself in different configurations. With this method, we currently achieve a sensitivity of .
We present a precision atom interferometry gyroscope with a Sagnac area of 6.0 cm 2 . To drive the cold atom interferometry gyroscope, we utilize two sets of Raman beams with a pulse sequence of π /2- π - π - π /2. We present a procedure for aligning the two sets of Raman beams at the microradian level by making use of the atom interferometer itself in different configurations. Additionally, we measured the atomic cloud trajectory and implemented a spatial symmetry alignment for the atom interferometer. With these improvements, we construct a sensitive atom gyroscope with a stability of 1 nrad/s at an integration time of 10000 s. We analyzed the influence of Raman beams and the limitations of the system, and present the technical limits to the sensitivity and long-term stability. Finally, we point out the primary sources of noise in the atom interferometry gyroscope, clearing the way for the construction of further large-area atom gyroscopes.
A method for detecting the internal characteristic (including density, velocity and temperature) distribution of cold atom clouds is reported in this paper. During the detection process, the spatial resolution of the cold atom cloud is achieved at sub-mm by precisely adjusting the spatial position of the Raman laser beam. Meanwhile, to minimize the impact of frequency and intensity fluctuations in the Raman laser on measurement results, we propose to utilize a differential atomic interferometer to suppress common-mode noise, thereby enhancing measurement accuracy. This method enables precise detection of the internal structure of cold atom clouds, providing a reference for in-depth studies of atom cloud properties.
Cold-matter-wave Sagnac interferometers possess many advantages over their thermal atomic beam counterparts when they are used as precise inertial sensors. We report a realization of a Sagnac-type interferometer with cold atoms. Cold rubidium atoms are prepared in a magneto-optical trap and are pushed by resonant laser pulse to form slow atomic beam. In the interference region, atomic wave packets are coherently manipulated using π/2−π−π/2 Raman pulse sequences. Interference fringes with maximum contrast of 37% are observed experimentally.
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.