Details
| Originalsprache | Englisch |
|---|---|
| Aufsatznummer | 013007 |
| Fachzeitschrift | New journal of physics |
| Jahrgang | 15 |
| Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - Jan. 2013 |
Abstract
Motivated by a recent claim by Müller et al (2010 Nature 463 926-9) that an atom interferometer can serve as an atom clock to measure the gravitational redshift with an unprecedented accuracy, we provide a representation-free description of the Kasevich-Chu interferometer based on operator algebra. We use this framework to show that the operator product determining the number of atoms at the exit ports of the interferometer is a c-number phase factor whose phase is the sum of only two phases: one is due to the acceleration of the phases of the laser pulses and the other one is due to the acceleration of the atom. This formulation brings out most clearly that this interferometer is an accelerometer or a gravimeter. Moreover, we point out that in different representations of quantum mechanics such as the position or the momentum representation the phase shift appears as though it originates from different physical phenomena. Due to this representation dependence conclusions concerning an enhanced accuracy derived in a specific representation are unfounded.
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
- Physik und Astronomie (insg.)
- Allgemeine Physik und Astronomie
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in: New journal of physics, Jahrgang 15, 013007, 01.2013.
Publikation: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Artikel › Forschung › Peer-Review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A representation-free description of the Kasevich-Chu interferometer
T2 - a resolution of the redshift controversy
AU - Schleich, Wolfgang P.
AU - Greenberger, Daniel M.
AU - Rasel, Ernst M.
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - Motivated by a recent claim by Müller et al (2010 Nature 463 926-9) that an atom interferometer can serve as an atom clock to measure the gravitational redshift with an unprecedented accuracy, we provide a representation-free description of the Kasevich-Chu interferometer based on operator algebra. We use this framework to show that the operator product determining the number of atoms at the exit ports of the interferometer is a c-number phase factor whose phase is the sum of only two phases: one is due to the acceleration of the phases of the laser pulses and the other one is due to the acceleration of the atom. This formulation brings out most clearly that this interferometer is an accelerometer or a gravimeter. Moreover, we point out that in different representations of quantum mechanics such as the position or the momentum representation the phase shift appears as though it originates from different physical phenomena. Due to this representation dependence conclusions concerning an enhanced accuracy derived in a specific representation are unfounded.
AB - Motivated by a recent claim by Müller et al (2010 Nature 463 926-9) that an atom interferometer can serve as an atom clock to measure the gravitational redshift with an unprecedented accuracy, we provide a representation-free description of the Kasevich-Chu interferometer based on operator algebra. We use this framework to show that the operator product determining the number of atoms at the exit ports of the interferometer is a c-number phase factor whose phase is the sum of only two phases: one is due to the acceleration of the phases of the laser pulses and the other one is due to the acceleration of the atom. This formulation brings out most clearly that this interferometer is an accelerometer or a gravimeter. Moreover, we point out that in different representations of quantum mechanics such as the position or the momentum representation the phase shift appears as though it originates from different physical phenomena. Due to this representation dependence conclusions concerning an enhanced accuracy derived in a specific representation are unfounded.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84873303824&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/013007
DO - 10.1088/1367-2630/15/1/013007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84873303824
VL - 15
JO - New journal of physics
JF - New journal of physics
SN - 1367-2630
M1 - 013007
ER -