Measuring the atomic recoil frequency using a perturbative grating-echo atom interferometer

Abstract

We describe progress toward a precise measurement of the recoil energy of an atom measured using a perturbative grating-echo atom interferometer (AI) that involves three standing-wave (sw) pulses. With this technique, a perturbing sw pulse is used to shift the phase of excited momentum states---producing a modulation in the contrast of the interference pattern. The signal exhibits narrow fringes that revive periodically at twice the two-photon recoil frequency, $2{\omega }_q$, as a function of the onset time of the pulse. Experiments are performed using samples of laser-cooled rubidium atoms with temperatures $\lesssim 5$ $\mu$K in a non-magnetic apparatus. We demonstrate a measurement of ${\omega }_q$ with a statistical uncertainty of 37 parts per $10^9$ (ppb) on a time scale of $\sim 45$ ms in 14 hours. Further statistical improvements are anticipated by extending this time scale and narrowing the signal fringe width. However, the total systematic uncertainty is estimated to be $\sim 6$ parts per $10^6$ (ppm). We describe methods of reducing these systematic errors.

8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PRA

References in corpus (18)

• CODATA Recommended Values of the Fundamental Physical Constants: 2010
• New Measurement of the Electron Magnetic Moment and the Fine Structure Constant
• New determination of the fine structure constant and test of the quantum electrodynamics
• A new determination of the fine structure constant based on Bloch oscillations of ultracold atoms in a vertical optical lattic
• Photon recoil momentum in dispersive media
• Combination of Bloch oscillations with a Ramsey-Bordé interferometer : new determination of the fine structure constant
• Contrast Interferometry Using Bose-Einstein Condensates to Measure h/m and the Fine Structure Constant
• Revised value of the eighth-order electron g-2
• Photonic Band Gaps in One-Dimensionally Ordered Cold Atomic Vapors
• A Determination of the Fine Structure Constant using Precision Measurements of Helium Fine Structure
• Noise-Immune Conjugate Large-Area Atom Interferometers
• A new photon recoil experiment: towards a determination of the fine structure constant
• Observation of coherence revival and fidelity saturation in a delta-kicked rotor potential
• Quantum electrodynamic calculation of the hyperfine structure of 3He
• Atom interferometric techniques for measuring uniform magnetic field gradients and gravitational acceleration
• Demonstration of perfect coherence preservation for matter-waves perturbed by a delta-kicked rotor
• Lattice Interferometer for Ultra-Cold Atoms
• Numerical simulation of a multi-level atom interferometer

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Enhanced atom interferometer readout through the application of phase shear
• Prospects for Precise Measurements with Echo Atom Interferometry
• Accurate Determination of an alkali-inert gas diffusion coefficient using coherent transient emission from a density grating
• Magnetically guided Cesium interferometer for inertial sensing
• Demonstration of improved sensitivity of echo interferometers to gravitational acceleration