Interferometry in an Atomic Fountain with Ytterbium Bose-Einstein Condensates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates advanced atom interferometry techniques using ytterbium Bose-Einstein condensates in a vertical fountain setup, achieving improved control and measurement capabilities for precision applications like gravity sensing.

Contribution

It introduces novel optical potentials and interferometer configurations tailored for heavy, non-magnetic ytterbium atoms, enabling longer interrogation times and enhanced measurement precision.

Findings

Successful implementation of a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer with ytterbium BECs.

Reduction of velocity spread by over five times using pulsed optical potentials.

Extension of interferometer times beyond horizontal geometries.

Abstract

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.