Closed-loop dual-channel atomic beam interferometry beyond the half-fringe limit
Abstract
Atom interferometric inertial sensors offer exceptional sensitivity but are fundamentally constrained by the periodic phase response of matter-wave interference, which imposes an intrinsic half-fringe dynamic-range limit and prevents continuous inertial tracking. In multi-axis configurations, additional cross coupling between acceleration and rotation further complicates closed-loop operation. Here we demonstrate the first dual-channel closed-loop operation of an atomic beam interferometer, realizing decoupled feedback control of acceleration- and rotation-induced phases and overcoming the half-fringe limitation. Using continuous, transversely cooled Rb atomic beams, the interferometric phases associated with rotation and acceleration are independently extracted, tracked across multiple fringes, and actively compensated through Raman frequency modulation. This closed-loop scheme enables unambiguous measurements up to in rotation and in acceleration while maintaining high fringe contrast, corresponding to nearly two orders-of-magnitude extension beyond the conventional half-fringe limit. The sensor achieves a long-term stability of for rotation and for acceleration at an averaging time of . By converting the intrinsically periodic interferometric response into stabilized phase-encoded inertial channels, this work establishes a new operating regime for atomic beam interferometry and advances matter-wave sensors toward practical quantum inertial navigation under dynamic conditions.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2603.14777,
title = {Closed-loop dual-channel atomic beam interferometry beyond the half-fringe limit},
author = {Wei-Chen Jia and Yue Xin and Ke Shen and Zhi-Xin Meng and Xiang-Xiang Lu and Yi-Cheng Deng and Yuan-Xing Liu and Yan-Ying Feng},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.14777},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
6 pages,4 figures