arXiv subjects

Daniel Gochnauer

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel Gochnauer.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Bloch Oscillation Phases investigated by Multi-path Stuckelberg Atom Interferometry

Atoms undergoing Bloch oscillations (BOs) in an accelerating optical lattice acquire momentum of two photon recoils per BO. This technique provides a large momentum transfer tool for atom optics, but its full exploitation for atom interferometric sensors requires experimental characterization of associated phases. Each BO involves a Landau-Zener crossing with multiple crossings inducing interference known as Stuckelberg interference. We develop a multi-path Stuckelberg interferometer and investigate atomic phase evolution during BOs, up to 100 photon recoil momentum transfer. We compare to numerically calculated single-particle Schrodinger evolution, demonstrate highly coherent BO sequences, and assess phase stability requirements for BO-enhanced precision interferometry in fundamental physics and sensing applications.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2021

Interferometry in an Atomic Fountain with Ytterbium Bose-Einstein Condensates

We present enabling experimental tools and atom interferometer implementations in a vertical "fountain" geometry with ytterbium Bose-Einstein condensates. To meet the unique challenge of the heavy, non-magnetic atom, we apply a shaped optical potential to balance against gravity following evaporative cooling and demonstrate a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer suitable for applications such as gravity gradient measurements. Furthermore, we also investigate the use of a pulsed optical potential to act as a matter wave lens in the vertical direction during expansion of the Bose-Einstein condensate. This method is shown to be even more effective and results in a reduction of velocity spread (or equivalently an increase in source brightness) of more than a factor of five, which we demonstrate using a two-pulse momentum-space Ramsey interferometer. The vertical geometry implementation of our diffraction beams ensures that the atomic center of mass maintains overlap with the pulsed atom optical elements, thus allowing extension of atom interferometer times beyond what is possible in a horizontal geometry. Our results thus provide useful tools for enhancing the precision of atom interferometry with ultracold ytterbium atoms.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2020

Crossed-Beam slowing to enhance narrow-line Ytterbium Magneto-Optic Traps

We demonstrate a method to enhance the atom loading rate of a ytterbium (Yb) magneto-optic trap (MOT) operating on the 556 nm ${^1S}_0 \rightarrow {^3P}_1$ intercombination transition (narrow linewidth $\Gamma_g = 2\pi \times 182$ kHz). Following traditional Zeeman slowing of an atomic beam near the 399 nm ${^1S}_0 \rightarrow {^1P}_1$ transition (broad linewidth $\Gamma_p = 2\pi \times 29 $ MHz), two laser beams in a crossed-beam geometry, frequency tuned near the same transition, provide additional slowing immediately prior to the MOT. Using this technique, we observe an improvement by a factor of 6 in the atom loading rate of a narrow-line Yb MOT. The relative simplicity and generality of this approach make it readily adoptable to other experiments involving narrow-line MOTs. We also present a numerical simulation of this two-stage slowing process which shows good agreement with the observed dependence on experimental parameters, and use it to assess potential improvements to the method.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Excited-Band Bloch Oscillations for Precision Atom Interferometry

We propose and demonstrate a method to increase the momentum separation between the arms of an atom interferometer and thus its area and measurement precision, by using Bloch oscillations (BOs) in an excited band of a pulsed optical standing wave lattice. Using excited bands allows us to operate at particular "magic" depths, where high momentum transfer efficiency ($>99.4\%$ per $\hbar k$, where $\hbar k$ is the photon momentum) is maintained while minimizing the lattice-induced phase fluctuations ($<1\,$milliradian per $\hbar k$) that are unavoidable in ground-band BOs. We apply this method to demonstrate interferometry with up to 40$\hbar k$ momenta supplied by BOs. We discuss extensions of this technique to larger momentum transfer and adaptations towards metrological applications of atom interferometry such as a measurement of the fine-structure constant.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Bloch-bands Picture for Light Pulse Atom Diffraction and Interferometry

We apply a Bloch-bands approach to the analysis of pulsed optical standing wave diffractive elements in optics and interferometry with ultracold atoms. We verify our method by comparison to a series of experiments with Bose-Einstein condensates. The approach provides accurate Rabi frequencies for diffraction pulses and is particularly useful for the analysis and control of diffraction phases, an important systematic effect in precision atom interferometry. Utilizing this picture, we also demonstrate a method to determine atomic band structure in an optical lattice through a measurement of phase shifts in an atomic contrast interferometer.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2017

Three-path atom interferometry with large momentum separation

We demonstrate the scale up of a symmetric three-path contrast interferometer to large momentum separation. The observed phase stability at separation of 112 photon recoil momenta ($112\hbar k$) exceeds the performance of earlier free-space interferometers. In addition to the symmetric interferometer geometry and Bose-Einstein condensate source, the robust scalability of our approach relies crucially on the suppression of undesired diffraction phases through a careful choice of atom optics parameters. The interferometer phase evolution is quadratic with number of recoils, reaching a rate as high as $7\times10^7$ radians/s. We discuss the applicability of our method towards a new measurement of the fine-structure constant and a test of QED.

physics.atom-ph↗