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arXiv · 0712.1990

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

Holger Mueller·Sheng-wey Chiow·Quan Long·Sven Herrmann·Steven Chu
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Abstract

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-Borde (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.

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Holger Mueller, Sheng-wey Chiow, Quan Long, Sven Herrmann, Steven Chu. 2008-05-11. Atom Interferometry with up to 24-Photon-Momentum-Transfer Beam Splitters. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.100.180405

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