Improvements to atom interferometers. An improved atom interferometer has a single polarization-preserving fiber, coupled for propagation of beams of two Raman frequencies, and a parallel displacement beamsplitter for separating the laser beams into respective free-space-propagating parallel beams traversing at least one ensemble of atoms. A reflector generates one or more beams counterpropagating through the ensemble of atoms. Other improvements include interposing a beam-splitting surface common to a plurality of parallel pairs of beams counterpropagating through the ensemble of atoms, generating interference fringes between reflections of the beams to generate a detector signal; and processing the detector signal to derive at least one of relative phase and relative alignment between respective pairs of the counterpropagating beams.

An atomic interferometer and methods for measuring phase shifts in interference fringes using the same. The atomic interferometer has a laser beam traversing an ensemble of atoms along a first path and an optical components train with at least one alignment-insensitive beam routing element configured to reflect the laser beam along a second path that is anti-parallel with respect to the first laser beam path. Any excursion from parallelism of the second beam path with respect to the first is rigorously independent of variation of the first laser beam path in yaw parallel to an underlying plane.

An atom interferometer that utilizes two counterpropagating continuous 3D-cooled atom beams which are directed into a vacuum chamber. Momentum-transfer laser (MTL) beams are directed into the atom beams to produce a predetermined recoil and subsequently generate an interference signal that is read by a photodetector and analyzed by a processor to provide information regarding inertial forces such as acceleration and rotation rate. Reversal of the recoil direction of the MTL beams allows for the suppression of errors in the measurement of the inertial forces.

A probe-based bidirectional electrophoretic force optical trap loading method includes steps of (1) detaching target particles from an upper electrode plate and capturing the target particles by a micro-scale probe based on a bidirectional electrophoretic force; (2) moving the probe with the target particles over an optical trap, applying a reverse electric field between the probe and the upper substrate electrode plate which is applied during a polar relaxation time of the target particles, and desorbing the target particles from the probe; and (3) turning on the optical trap, applying an electric field between the lower electrode plate and the upper electrode plate, adjusting the speed of the desorbed target particles through the electric field at which the optical trap is able to capture the desorbed target particles and the desorbed target particles moving to the effective capture range of the optical trap.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for design, fabrication, and use of an ion trap with variable pitch electrodes are described herein. One apparatus includes an ion trap and a plurality of variable pitch electrodes disposed on the ion trap. A respective electrode of the plurality of electrodes can have a first pitch in a first region of the trap and a second pitch in a second region of the trap.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for design, fabrication, and use of an ion trap with variable pitch electrodes are described herein. One apparatus includes an ion trap and a plurality of variable pitch electrodes disposed on the ion trap. A respective electrode of the plurality of electrodes can have a first pitch in a first region of the trap and a second pitch in a second region of the trap.

Atomic object confinement apparatuses that include RF busses and systems including atomic object confinement apparatuses that include RF busses are provided. An example atomic object confinement apparatus comprises RF rail electrodes and an RF bus electrode(s). The RF rail electrodes form a periodic array of confinement segments within a central zone of the atomic object confinement apparatus and the RF bus electrodes are disposed in a perimeter zone disposed about the central zone. The RF rail electrodes and the RF bus electrode(s) are configured to generate a substantially periodic array of trapping regions when an oscillating voltage signal is applied to the RF rail electrodes and the RF bus electrode(s).

Atomic object confinement apparatuses that include RF busses and systems including atomic object confinement apparatuses that include RF busses are provided. An example atomic object confinement apparatus comprises RF rail electrodes and an RF bus electrode(s). The RF rail electrodes form a periodic array of confinement segments within a central zone of the atomic object confinement apparatus and the RF bus electrodes are disposed in a perimeter zone disposed about the central zone. The RF rail electrodes and the RF bus electrode(s) are configured to generate a substantially periodic array of trapping regions when an oscillating voltage signal is applied to the RF rail electrodes and the RF bus electrode(s).

The present invention provides a vapor-cell system comprising: a vapor-cell region configured for vapor-cell optical paths; a first electrode disposed in contact with the vapor-cell region; a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode; and an ion conductor interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode, the ion conductor, and the second electrode collectively form a bidirectional solid-state electrochemical charge-depletion capacitor. The ion conductor is ionically conductive for mobile ions, such as Rb.sup.+, Cs.sup.+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, or Sr.sup.2+. The first electrode is permeable to the mobile ions and/or neutral atoms formed from the mobile ions. The system can be electrically controlled to quickly pump mobile ions into or out of the vapor-cell region. The system may further contain an atom chip, and the vapor-cell optical paths may be configured to trap a population of cold atoms. Methods of operating these vapor-cell systems are also disclosed.

Embodiments relate to initializing and/or performing state preparation for an atomic object. The controller controls first manipulation sources to provide first manipulation signals and second manipulation sources to provide second manipulation signals. The first and second manipulation signals are incident on the atomic object. The atomic object has a nuclear spin greater than one half. A ground state manifold of the atomic object comprises one or more selected ground manifold states and non-selected ground manifold states. The first manipulation signals are configured to drive transitions from the non-selected ground manifold states to one or more pumped manifolds of the atomic object and suppress transitions out of the selected ground manifold states. The second manipulation signals are configured to stimulate the atomic object to decay a pumped manifold into a decayed state, wherein there is a non-zero probability that the decayed state is one of the selected ground manifold states.