Multi-photon Atom Interferometry via cavity-enhanced Bragg Diffraction

Abstract: We present a novel atom interferometer configuration that combines large momentum transfer with the enhancement of an optical resonator for the purpose of measuring gravitational strain in the horizontal directions. Using Bragg diffraction and taking advantage of the optical gain provided by the resonator, we achieve momentum transfer up to $8\hbar k$ with mW level optical power in a cm-sized resonating waist. Importantly, our experiment uses an original resonator design that allows for a large resonating beam waist and eliminates the need to trap atoms in cavity modes. We demonstrate inertial sensitivity in the horizontal direction by measuring the change in tilt of our resonator. This result paves the way for future hybrid atom/optical gravitational wave detectors. Furthermore, the versatility of our method extends to a wide range of measurement geometries and atomic sources, opening up new avenues for the realization of highly sensitive inertial atom sensors.