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

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the use of up to 24-photon Bragg diffraction as a beam splitter in atom interferometers, significantly increasing momentum transfer and phase sensitivity, with high fringe visibility and potential for precise measurements.

Contribution

It introduces the largest momentum transfer beam splitters in atom interferometry using 24-photon Bragg diffraction, enhancing phase shifts and measurement sensitivity.

Findings

Achieved up to 24-photon Bragg diffraction in atom interferometers.

Increased phase shift by 12- to 144-fold compared to 2-photon processes.

Maintained high fringe visibility and long pulse separation times.

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.