Interference properties of a trapped atom interferometer in two asymmetric optical dipole traps*

Abstract

We investigate interference properties of a trapped atom interferometer where two symmetric optical dipole traps (ODTs) act as the atomic wave-packets splitter and combiner with internal state labelling. After the preparation of initial superposition states, the atomic wave-packet is adiabatically split and moves into two spatially separate asymmetric ODTs. The atomic wave-packets in two ODTs are then adiabatically recombined after a duration of free evolving in traps, completing the interference cycle of this atom interferometer. We show that the interferogram exhibits a series of periodic revivals in interference visibility. Furthermore, the revival period decreases as the asymmetry of two dipole potentials increases. By introducing an echo sequence to the interferometer, we show that while the echo effect is not influenced by the asymmetry of the two ODTs, the onset of periodic revivals changes by the echo sequence. Our study provides an effective method to cancel or compensate the phase shift caused by position and time correlated force.