Optically trapped atom interferometry using the clock transition of large rubidium-87 bose-einstein condensates
Date
2011
Authors
McDonald, Gordon
Altin, Paul
Doering, Daniel
Debs, John
Barter, Thomas
Close, John
Robins, Nicholas
Haine, S
Hanna, T M
Anderson, R P
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IEEE
Abstract
We present a Ramsey-type atom interferometer operating with an optically trapped sample of 106 Bose-condensed 87Rb atoms. We investigate this interferometer experimentally and theoretically with an eye to the construction of future high precision atomic sensors. Our results indicate that, with further experimental refinements, it will be possible to produce and measure the output of a sub-shot-noise limited, large atom number BEC-based interferometer. The optical trap (shown in Figure 1 (c)) allows us to couple the |F = 1,mF = 0) → |F = 2,mF = 0) clock states using a single photon 6.8 GHz microwave transition, while state selective readout is achieved with absorption imaging. We analyse the process of absorption imaging and show that it is possible to observe atom number variance directly, with a signal-to-noise ratio ten times better than the atomic projection noise limit on 106 condensate atoms. We discuss the technical and fundamental noise sources that limit our current system, and present theoretical and experimental results on interferometer contrast, de-phasing and miscibility.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: Absorption imaging; Atom interferometer; Bose-Einstein condensates; Clock transition; Fundamental noise; Microwave transitions; Single photons; State selective; Bose-Einstein condensation; Clocks; Interferometers; Rubidium; Atoms
Citation
Collections
Source
Proceedings of the International Quantum Electronics Conference and Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Pacific Rim 2011
Type
Conference paper