Dependence of the ellipse fitting noise on the differential phase between interferometers in atom gravity gradiometers

Abstract

Ellipse fitting is widely used in the extraction of the differential phase between atom interferometers amid substantial common phase noise. This study meticulously examines the dependency of extraction noise on the differential phase between atom interferometers during ellipse fitting. It reveals that the minimum extraction noise can manifest at distinct differential phases, contingent upon the dominance of different noise types. Moreover, the outcomes are influenced by whether the interferometers undergo simultaneous detection or not. Our theoretical simulations find empirical validation in a compact horizontal atom gravity gradiometer. The adjustment of the differential phase significantly enhances measurement sensitivity, culminating in a differential gravity resolution of 1.6 × 10−10 g @ 4800 s.