Fundamental Limits of Large Momentum Transfer in Optical Lattices

TL;DR

This paper introduces a Floquet-based theoretical framework for large momentum transfer in optical lattices, identifying regimes with reduced losses and enhanced phase accuracy, advancing atom interferometry capabilities.

Contribution

It develops a unified Floquet formalism that improves understanding and performance of elastic light-atom scattering in atom interferometry.

Findings

Identifies regimes with significantly reduced scattering losses.

Demonstrates improved phase accuracy over previous methods.

Validates model through numerical and experimental comparisons.

Abstract

Large-momentum-transfer techniques are instrumental for the next generation of atom interferometers as they significantly improve their sensitivity. State-of-the-art implementations rely on elastic scattering processes from optical lattices such as Bloch oscillations or sequential Bragg diffraction, but their performance is constrained by imperfect pulse efficiencies. Here we develop a Floquet-based theoretical framework that provides a unified description of elastic light-atom scattering across all relevant regimes. Within this formalism, we identify practical regimes that exhibit orders of magnitude reduced losses and improved phase accuracy compared to previous implementations. The model's validity is established through direct comparison with numerical solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation and through quantitative agreement with recent experimental benchmark results. These findings delineate previously unexplored operating regimes for large momentum transfer beam splitters and open new perspectives for precision atom-interferometric measurements in fundamental physics, gravity gradiometry or gravitational wave detection.