Atom Interferometry

Book excerpt: The field of atom interferometry has expanded rapidly in recent years, and todays research laboratories are using atom interferometers both as inertial sensors and for precision measurements. Many researchers also use atom interferometry as a means of researching fundamental questions in quantum mechanics. Atom Interferometry contains contributions from theoretical and experimental physicists at the forefront of this rapidly developing field. Editor Paul R. Berman includes an excellent balance of background material and recent experimental results,providing a general overview of atom interferometry and demonstrating the promise that it holds for the future. - Includes contributions from many of the research groups that have pioneered this emerging field - Discusses and demonstrates new aspects of the wave nature of atoms - Explains the many important applications of atom interferometry, from a measurement of the gravitational constant to atom lithography - Examines applications of atom interferometry to fundamentally important quantum mechanics problems