Mach–Zehnder interferometer for characterization of atom traps

Abstract

Standard characterization of atomic traps relies on tracking classical trajectories, which is limited by the imaging resolution, the amplitude of the oscillation inside the trap, and the lifetime of the gas. We introduce a Mach–Zehnder interferometer technique that overcomes these bottlenecks by mapping the trap frequency directly onto internal state populations, which exhibit sharp interference revivals. Yielding an estimated relative uncertainty of 10^(-6) in 100 ms⁠, this approach extracts precise frequencies and anharmonicity bounds well within typical experimental lifetimes. This efficient calibration enables optimizing atom lenses in delta-kick collimation, advancing inertial sensing, and controlling many-body systems via confinement-induced resonances.