A representation-free description of the Kasevich-Chu interferometer: a resolution of the redshift controversy

Motivated by a recent claim by Muller et al (2010 Nature 463 926-9) that an atom interferometer can serve as an atom clock to measure the gravitational redshift with an unprecedented accuracy, we provide a representation-free description of the Kasevich-Chu interferometer based on operator algebra. We use this framework to show that the operator product determining the number of atoms at the exit ports of the interferometer is a c-number phase factor whose phase is the sum of only two phases: one is due to the acceleration of the phases of the laser pulses and the other one is due to the acceleration of the atom. This formulation brings out most clearly that this interferometer is an accelerometer or a gravimeter. Moreover, we point out that in different representations of quantum mechanics such as the position or the momentum representation the phase shift appears as though it originates from different physical phenomena. Due to this representation dependence conclusions concerning an enhanced accuracy derived in a specific representation are unfounded.

Transportable setup for amplifier phase fidelity measurements

One possible laser source for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) consists of an Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier originally developed for inter-satellite communication, seeded by the laser used for the technology demonstrator mission LISA Pathfinder. LISA needs to transmit clock information between its three spacecraft to correct for phase noise between the clocks on the individual spacecraft. For this purpose phase modulation sidebands at GHz frequencies will be imprinted on the laser beams between spacecraft. Differential phase noise between the carrier and a sideband introduced within the optical chain must be very low. We report on a transportable setup to measure the phase fidelity of optical amplifiers.