INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL POTENTIALS ON OPTICAL RAMSEY FRINGES IN ATOMIC INTERFEROMETRY

The interaction of an atomic beam with four traveling-wave laser beams leads to optically induced Ramsey fringes in the atomic beam. This ex perimental setup has been used as an optical frequency standard as wel l as a matter-wave interferometer. We calculate for two-level atoms th e shift of the fringes due to the influence of fairly general external forces in lowest order of a perturbation approach. A comparison with the phase shift found in a corresponding WKB treatment of the interact ion geometry is made. The consequences of beam reversal and cooling of the atomic beam are studied. As an application, we treat the linear a cceleration and rotation of the interferometer and discuss the influen ce of space-time curvature.