Laser system for Stark-shift-compensated dual beam splitters for atom interferometry

High-power, narrow-linewidth laser systems are important for applications in atom interferometry. The properties of the atom optics lasers that split and recombine the atomic wave packets are often directly related to the performance of an atom interferometer. Here we have developed a laser system that enables Stark-shift-compensated dual beam splitters ideal for low-loss, high-contrast atom interferometry. Up to 40 W of 780 nm beams are generated by frequency-doubling and efficiently overlapping 1560 nm lasers. The optical spectrum spans 370 GHz, centered around the rubidium D2 resonance frequency. We use serrodyne modulation to shift the frequency of each spectral component. Integrating this system into an existing atom interferometer can greatly enhance its sensitivity, making it an excellent probe for studying gravitational interactions in quantum systems. Our recent observation of a gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect is discussed. Other applications include a more precise test of the equivalence principle, or a measurement of the gravitational constant. Further upgrades such as higher modulation bandwidth are under way.