An Atom Michelson Interferometer on a Chip Using a Bose-Einstein Condensate

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a compact atom Michelson interferometer on a chip using a Bose-Einstein condensate, achieving phase manipulation and interference detection with potential applications in precision measurements.

Contribution

It presents the first implementation of an atom interferometer on an atom chip with integrated BEC manipulation and optical splitting, reflecting, and recombining capabilities.

Findings

Interference contrast of 20% observed at 10 ms propagation time

Differential phase shifts achieved via magnetic-field gradient or initial velocity

Successful integration of BEC interferometry on a lithographically patterned chip

Abstract

An atom Michelson interferometer is implemented on an "atom chip." The chip uses lithographically patterned conductors and external magnetic fields to produce and guide a Bose-Einstein condensate. Splitting, reflecting, and recombining of condensate atoms are achieved by a standing-wave light field having a wave vector aligned along the atom waveguide. A differential phase shift between the two arms of the interferometer is introduced by either a magnetic-field gradient or with an initial condensate velocity. Interference contrast is still observable at 20% with atom propagation time of 10 ms.