Rotation Sensing using Tractor Atom Interferometry

Abstract

We investigate a possible realization of an ultracold-atom rotation sensor that is based on recently proposed tractor atom interferometry (TAI). An experimental design that includes generation of a Laguerre-Gaussian-beam-based "pinwheel" optical lattice and multi-loop interferometric cycles is discussed. Numerical simulations of the proposed system demonstrate TAI rotation sensitivity comparable to that of contemporary matter-wave interferometers. We analyze a regime of TAI rotation sensors in which nonadiabatic effects may hinder the system's performance. We apply quantum optimal control to devise a methodology suitable to address this nonadiabaticity. Our studies are of interest for current efforts to realize compact and robust matter-wave rotation sensors, as well as in fundamental-physics applications of TAI.