An Interferometer For Atoms
David W. Keith, Christopher R. Ekstrom, Quentin A. Turchette, and David E. Pritchard
David W. Keith, Christopher R. Ekstrom, Quentin A. Turchette, and David E. Pritchard
We have demonstrated an interferometer for atoms. A three-grating geometry is used, in which the interfering beams are distinctly separated in both position and momentum. We used a highly collimated beam of sodium atoms with a de Broglie wavelength of 16 pm and high-quality 0.4-μm-period freestanding gratings which we fabricated using a novel method. The interference signal is 70 counts/s, which allows us to determine the phase to 0.1 rad in 1 min. Applications of atom interferometers are briefly discussed.
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