Berlin 2014 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 9: Matter wave optics II

Q 9.6: Vortrag

Montag, 17. März 2014, 15:15–15:30, DO26 208

Phase-space evolution of interferences in atom interferometers — •Enno Giese, Wolfgang Zeller, Stephan Kleinert, Vincenzo Tamma, Albert Roura, and Wolfgang P. Schleich — Institut für Quantenphysik, Universität Ulm, D-89069 Ulm, Germany

The appearance of a phase shift due to linear gravity and gravity gradients in atom interferometers is well-known and can be explained in numerous ways with different interpretations. A Wigner phase-space representation allows an intuitive understanding of the contrast in the exit ports, in addition to an explicit expression for the interferometer phase.

The final state of a Kasevich-Chu interferometer in Wigner phase space has a Schrödinger-cat-like form and consists of three contributions: one arising from the upper, one from the lower interferometer path, and one describing the interference. We present quantum Liouville-type of equations of motion for these three contributions. We focus in particular on the beam splitters and mirrors and investigate their action on the trajectories of the upper and lower path in phase space.

In addition to that, we demonstrate that the interference term is created by the momentum shifts of the beam splitter pulses. The interference quantum Liouville equation leads to a trajectory between the upper and lower path. Furthermore, we show how an inhomogeneity in the equation of motion imprints the interferometer phase on the interference term.