Sagnac Interferometry with a Single Atomic Clock

Stevenson, Robin; Hush, Michael R.; Bishop, Thomas; Lesanovsky, Igor; Fernholz, Thomas

Abstract

© 2015 American Physical Society. © 2015 American Physical Society. The Sagnac effect enables interferometric measurements of rotation with high precision. Using matter waves instead of light promises resolution enhancement by orders of magnitude that scales with particle mass. So far, the paradigm for matter wave Sagnac interferometry relies on de Broglie waves and thus on free propagation of atoms either in free fall or within waveguides. However, the Sagnac effect can be expressed as a proper time difference experienced by two observers moving in opposite directions along closed paths and has indeed been measured with atomic clocks flown around Earth. Inspired by this, we investigate an interferometer comprised of a single atomic clock. The Sagnac effect manifests as a phase shift between trapped atoms in different internal states after transportation along closed paths in opposite directions, without any free propagation. With analytic models, we quantify limitations of the scheme arising from atomic dynamics and finite temperature. Furthermore, we suggest an implementation with previously demonstrated technology.

Citation

Stevenson, R., Hush, M. R., Bishop, T., Lesanovsky, I., & Fernholz, T. (2015). Sagnac Interferometry with a Single Atomic Clock. Physical Review Letters, 115(16), Article 163001. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.163001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 10, 2015
• Publication Date: Oct 13, 2015
• Deposit Date: Oct 21, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 21, 2015
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 115
• Issue: 16
• Article Number: 163001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.163001
• Keywords: Atomic Physics; Quantum Physics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/763956
• Publisher URL: http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.163001
• Additional Information: Copyright 2015 American Physical Society.
• Contract Date: Oct 21, 2015