Continuous 3D-Cooled Atom Beam Interferometer

An atom beam interferometer comprising:

• an atom beam source configured to provide an atom beam having three-dimensionally cooled atoms with a temperature of less than 100 microKelvin (μK) in all three dimensions;
• a plurality of momentum transfer laser (MTL) beam sources that direct a set of spaced-apart MTL beams to a plurality of spatially separated MTL regions along the atom beam, so that within each MTL region the MTL beams coherently impart photon recoil momenta to atoms of the atom beam, with the MTL beams being configured to produce an interference signal in the atom beam, wherein the MTL beam sources are configured to alternatingly switch the MTL beams between a first case to provide a first interfering trajectory path for the atom beam and a second case to provide a second interfering trajectory path for the atom beam, wherein the first interfering trajectory path for the atom beam and the second interfering trajectory path for the atom beam are different, and wherein the atom beam source is configured to continuously direct the atom beam through the MTL regions while the MTL beams are switched between the first and second cases;
• a detection region configured to receive atoms from the atom beam along the first interfering trajectory path and the second interfering trajectory path and to induce state-dependent responses from the atoms of the atom beam, the state dependent responses of the atoms of the atom beam providing data of atomic states occupied by the atoms;
• and
• a processor coupled to the detection region, wherein the processor is configured to receive the data of the atomic states and to translate the data of the atomic states into a measurement to be output from the interferometer.

A method providing atom beam interferometry, the method comprising:

• providing an atom beam having three-dimensionally cooled atoms with a temperature of less than 100 microKelvin (μk) in all three dimensions;
• directing a set of spaced-apart MTL beams to a plurality of spatially separated MTL regions along the atom beam, so that within each MTL region the MTL beams coherently impart photon recoil momenta to atoms of the atom beam to produce an interference signal in the atom beam, wherein the MTL beams are alternatingly switched between a first case to provide a first interfering trajectory path for the atom beam and a second case to provide a second interfering trajectory path for the atom beam, wherein the first interfering trajectory path for the atom beam and the second interfering trajectory path for the atom beam are different, and wherein the atom beam is continuously directed through the MTL regions while the MTL beams are switched between the first and second cases;
• receiving atoms from the atom beam along the first interfering trajectory path and the second interfering trajectory path at a detection region;
• inducing state-dependent responses from the atoms of the atom beam in the detection region, wherein the state dependent responses of the atoms of the atom beam provide data of atomic states occupied by the atoms;
• and
• translating the data of the atomic states into an interferometry measurement.