Large Momentum Beamsplitter using Bloch Oscillations

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a large momentum transfer beamsplitter using Bloch oscillations, significantly enhancing atomic interferometer sensitivity by increasing atomic velocity separation with high efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method combining Bloch oscillations with LMT pulses to achieve large momentum transfer in atomic interferometry.

Findings

Achieved 10 recoil velocity separation experimentally.

Identified and mitigated light shift effects to improve contrast.

Showed potential for several tens of recoil momentum transfer with high efficiency.

Abstract

The sensitivity of an inertial sensor based on an atomic interfermometer is proportional to the velocity separation of atoms in the two arms of the interferometer. In this paper we describe how Bloch oscillations can be used to increase this separation and to create a large momentum transfer (LMT) beamsplitter. We experimentally demonstrate a separation of 10 recoil velocities. Light shifts during the acceleration introduce phase fluctuations which can reduce the contrast of the interferometer. We precisely calculate this effect and demonstrate that it can be significantly reduced by using a suitable combination of LMT pulses. We finally show that this method seems to be very promising to realize LMT beamsplitter with several 10s of recoil and a very good efficiency.