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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 22: Matter Wave Optics II

Q 22.4: Talk

Monday, March 5, 2018, 17:00–17:15, K 1.013

Aberrations of Bragg beam splitters - 3D simulations — •Antje Neumann and Reinhold Walser — Institut Angewandte Physik, TU Darmstadt, Deutschland

Atomic beam splitters are a central component of matter wave interferometers, which provide the opportunity of high-precision rotation and acceleration sensing. Potential applications range from fundamental physics to inertial navigation. In the QUANTUS free-fall experiments atom interferometry is the central method as well.

Beam splitters are used to prepare coherent superposition of atomic wave packets in momentum space by transferring photon momentum from a laser field. Clearly the aim of such devices is to cover a wide momentum range with unit response. Equivalent to optical systems all matter wave devices require accurate specifications and ubiquitous imperfections need to be quantified.

We focus on the response and aberrations of an atomic beam splitter in quasi Bragg configuration in 3D. In particular, we characterize the non-ideal behaviour due to spatial variations of the laser beam profiles and wave front curvatures, regarding realistic Gaussian laser beams instead of ideal plane waves. In addition, different temporal envelopes of the laser beam will be considered. We present results of numerical and analytical studies of the velocity dependence of the complex reflectivity of the beam splitter. Finally our theoretical results are confirmed by experimental data [1].
[1] M. Gebbe, Universität Bremen, Zarm, private communication.