Interchanging the Roles of Light and Matter

School of Physics Hard Condensed Matter & AMO Seminar Series: Presenting A. Kumarakrishnan, York University

Atom interferometers that use pulses of light for coherent control of matter-wave interference can be used for wide ranging studies of light-matter interactions and for realizing precision measurements in atomic physics. We describe an echo type interferometer that utilizes a relatively simple setup to manipulate laser-cooled Rb atoms in a single ground state manifold. We review progress toward a precise determination
of the atomic fine structure constant and gravitational acceleration.

*Work supported by CFI, OIT, OCE, NSERC and York University