Classical and Quantum Atom Fringes

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of an attempt to exploit the unique possibilities of atomic beams and their interactions with light fields for fundamental physics. The overview starts with a short description of the experimental apparatus and then describes a classical experiment: a three grating moiré imaging device based on classical ray optics. This classical device is a very sensitive inertial sensor, capable even of surpassing present-day commercial sensors. The chapter describes the three grating de Broglie wave atom interferometer based on diffraction at standing light waves and subsequently discusses the similarities between the classical moiré apparatus and the quantum apparatus, the interferometer. The chapter comments on the new features one might expect in the study of coherent motion in periodic structures made of light called the light crystals. Starting from the similar and well-developed fields of dynamical diffraction in neutron, electron, and X-ray physics, the chapter gives an introduction to the different regimes accessible by the experiment and shows the first realizations of some of the expected effects.