Quantum motion effects in an ultracold-atom Mach-Zehnder interferometer

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum motion effects in an ultracold-atom Mach-Zehnder interferometer, providing exact expressions for transmission amplitudes that include all quantum paths and reflections, advancing understanding of quantum interference in such systems.

Contribution

It introduces explicit, exact formulas for atomic transmission amplitudes in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, accounting for quantum motion corrections and multiple reflections, which were not considered in prior semiclassical models.

Findings

Derived exact transmission amplitudes including quantum motion effects.

Identified significant corrections due to multiple reflections.

Enhanced understanding of quantum interference in ultracold-atom interferometers.

Abstract

We study the effect of quantum motion in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer where ultracold, two-level atoms cross a $\pi/2 $-$\pi $-$\pi/2$ configuration of separated, laser illuminated regions. Explicit and exact expressions are obtained for transmission amplitudes of monochromatic, incident atomic waves using recurrence relations which take into account all possible paths: the direct ones usually considered in the simple semiclassical treatment, but including quantum motion corrections, and the paths in which the atoms are repeatedly reflected at the fields.