Sensitivity bounds of a spatial Bloch-oscillations Atom Interferometer

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the fundamental sensitivity limits of a Bloch-oscillation atom interferometer that measures external forces via atomic density, highlighting the potential for high sensitivity in compact, high-resolution devices.

Contribution

It introduces a scheme leveraging wave-function spreading over lattice sites to enhance sensitivity, accounting for practical fluctuations and detection limitations.

Findings

High sensitivity achievable with horizontal lattice and weak external force

Wave-function spreading increases mode separation and measurement precision

Practical fluctuations and detection resolution are manageable factors

Abstract

We study the ultimate bounds on the sensitivity of a Bloch-oscillation atom interferometer where the external force is estimated from the measurement of the on-site atomic density. For external forces such that the energy difference between lattice sites is smaller than the tunneling energy, the atomic wave-function spreads over many lattice sites, increasing the separation between the occupied modes of the lattice and naturally enhancing the sensitivity of the interferometer. To investigate the applicability of this scheme we estimate the effect of uncontrolled fluctuations of the tunneling energy and the finite resolution of the atom detection. Our analysis shows that a horizontal lattice combined with a weak external force allow for high sensitivities. Therefore, this setup is a promising solution for compact devices or for measurements with high spatial resolution.