Abstract

Inertial sensors based on cold atom interferometry are characterized by extremely high sensitivity and stability. They are therefore compatible with the stringent requirements of applications ranging from geophysics, navigation, positioning, and civil engineering to fundamental physics tests. However, the practical use of these sensors remains essentially limited by their relative bulkiness and low measurement bandwidth. Here, we address these drawbacks by implementing a novel solution for atomic state detection. It is based on the modification of the radiation resistance of an antenna in the presence of a cold atom ensemble. This method allowed us the nondestructive monitoring of a coherent quantum dynamics with a bandwidth of about 30 kHz and a chosen destructiveness of less than 0.1%. In addition, by performing a typical Ramsey sequence (a clock measurement), we demonstrate the preservation of the atomic quantum coherence.

© 2022 The Author(s)