Bloch Oscillation Phases investigated by Multi-path Stuckelberg Atom Interferometry

TL;DR

This paper develops a multi-path Stuckelberg interferometer to study phase evolution during Bloch oscillations in atoms, enabling high-precision atom interferometry with large momentum transfer.

Contribution

It introduces a novel multi-path interferometric method to analyze atomic phases during Bloch oscillations up to 100 photon recoils.

Findings

Demonstrates highly coherent Bloch oscillation sequences

Shows phase stability requirements for precision interferometry

Validates results with numerical Schrödinger equation simulations

Abstract

Atoms undergoing Bloch oscillations (BOs) in an accelerating optical lattice acquire momentum of two photon recoils per BO. This technique provides a large momentum transfer tool for atom optics, but its full exploitation for atom interferometric sensors requires experimental characterization of associated phases. Each BO involves a Landau-Zener crossing with multiple crossings inducing interference known as Stuckelberg interference. We develop a multi-path Stuckelberg interferometer and investigate atomic phase evolution during BOs, up to 100 photon recoil momentum transfer. We compare to numerically calculated single-particle Schrodinger evolution, demonstrate highly coherent BO sequences, and assess phase stability requirements for BO-enhanced precision interferometry in fundamental physics and sensing applications.