Atom interferometry with thousand-fold increase in dynamic range

Area of Science:

• Quantum physics
• Metrology
• Sensor technology

Background:

• Interferometric sensors face a trade-off between sensitivity and dynamic range due to signal periodicity.
• Atom interferometers offer high sensitivity for gravito-inertial measurements but have limited dynamic range.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a methodology for extending the dynamic range of interferometry-based sensors.
• To maintain or improve sensitivity, stability, and bandwidth while increasing dynamic range.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous operation of two nearly identical interferometers.
• Generating a moiré-like interference pattern with a period significantly larger than 2π.
• Utilizing common-mode noise suppression.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a dynamic-range enhancement of over an order of magnitude in a single shot.
• Achieved over three orders of magnitude enhancement within a few shots.
• Verified performance for both static and dynamic signals in an atom interferometer.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodology substantially extends sensor dynamic range without compromising key performance metrics.
• This approach significantly improves atom interferometers and other interferometric sensors for challenging environments.
• The technique offers enhanced capabilities for measuring gravito-inertial forces under varied conditions.