Atom interferometry with the Sr optical clock transition

Abstract

We report on the realization of a matter-wave interferometer based on single-photon interaction on the ultra-narrow optical clock transition of strontium atoms. We experimentally demonstrated its operation as a gravimeter and as a gravity gradiometer. No reduction of interferometric contrast was observed up to an interferometer time $2T=10$ ms, limited by geometric constraints of the apparatus. In the gradiometric configuration, the sensitivity approaches the shot noise limit. Single-photon interferometers represent a new class of high-precision sensors that could be used for the detection of gravitational waves in so far unexplored frequency ranges and to enlighten the boundary between Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity.