A matter-wave interferometer based on the dc-Stark effect

Abstract.

We present a new separated beam atom interferometer in which the recombination of the atomic wave packet is due to the dc-Stark interaction of an induced atomic dipole with a cylindrically symmetric electric field of a charged wire. The fringe period shows a weak power-law dependence on the de Broglie wavelength and the polarizability of the particles. We present a semiclassical theoretical model for this interferometer which resembles the measured performance of the interferometer without free parameters. A discussion of possible applications of this interferometer for atoms and molecules is given.