Analysis of atom-interferometer clocks

Abstract

We analyze the nature and performance of clocks formed by stabilizing an oscillator to the phase difference between two paths of an atom interferometer. The phase evolution has been modeled as being driven by the proper-time difference between the two paths, although it has an ambiguous origin in the non-relativistic limit and it requires a full quantum-field-theory treatment in the general case. We present conditions for identifying deviations from the non-relativistic limit as a way of testing the proper-time driven phase evolution model. We show that the system performance belies the premise that an atom-interferometer clock is referenced to a divided-down Compton oscillation, and we suggest that this implies there is no physical oscillation at the Compton frequency.