Phase modulation detection of a light-pulse atom interferometer

An atom interferometer system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer-readable medium including instructions executable by the processor to:
• generate, using a first laser source and an optical modulator, a light-pulse atom interferometry (LPAI) beam modulated at a modulation frequency, wherein the first laser source and the optical modulator are disposed such that the LPAI beam is directed through a beam splitter to thereby split the LPAI beam into three LPAI pulses directed to an interrogation zone of a vacuum;
• generate, using an atom source, an atom beam, wherein the atom source is disposed to direct the atom beam to the interrogation zone to interact with the three LPAI pulses;
• generate, using a second laser source, a detection beam, wherein the detection beam is disposed to direct the detection beam to a detection zone outside of the interrogation zone to interact with the three LPAI pulses resonant with the atom beam to thereby generate fluorescence signals;
• detect, using an optical detector, the fluorescence signals generated in the detection zone;
• demodulate the detected fluorescence signals at two harmonics to thereby form a quadrature pair;
• and
• determine an interferometer phase using the quadrature pair.

A computer-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor to:

• generate, using a first laser source and an optical modulator, a light-pulse atom interferometry (LPAI) beam modulated at a modulation frequency, wherein the first laser source and the optical modulator are disposed such that the LPAI beam is directed through a beam splitter to thereby split the LPAI beam into three LPAI pulses directed to an interrogation zone of a vacuum;
• generate, using an atom source, an atom beam, wherein the atom source is disposed to direct the atom beam to the interrogation zone to interact with the three LPAI pulses;
• generate, using a second laser source, a detection beam, wherein the detection beam is disposed to direct the detection beam to a detection zone outside of the interrogation zone to interact with the three LPAI pulses resonant with the atom beam to thereby generate fluorescence signals;
• detect, using an optical detector, the fluorescence signals generated in the detection zone;
• demodulate the detected fluorescence signals at two harmonics to thereby form a quadrature pair;
• and
• determine an interferometer phase using the quadrature pair.