Ytterbium Atom Interferometry Within an Optical Lattice

Abstract

Matterwave interferometers utilizing atoms and optical lattices are subject to theinstabilities and systematics associated with lattice dynamics. We apply a Bloch band approach to atom optics to understand the systematic effects on interferometric phases. In particular, we examine the effects of the coherent quantum passage of atoms accelerating in different lattice bands—also known as Bloch oscillations—in a vertically oriented optical lattice for atom interferometry. This work details observations of multi-path Landau-Zener-Stückelberg-Majorana interference effects, used to measure phases within an optical lattice due to Bloch oscillations. We expound on their relevance towards next-generation atom interferometers employing many Bloch oscillations for improved sensitivity. Optical lattices are also a promising tool for trapped atom interferometry, the matterwave analog for optical interferometry with fiber optics. We demonstrate the first lattice-trapped atom interferometer with a Bose-Einstein condensate. The effect of the choice of band on the visibility of lattice-trapped interferometers has been hitherto unexplored. We show improvements in the visibility of the interferometer fringes by trapping at the so-called “magic depths” of excited bands, where lattice-induced phases are first-order insensitive to variations in lattice depth. We showcase excited-band lattice-trapped interferometers and trapped interferometers for ytterbium for the first time and use them for gravitational sensing.