Stern-Gerlach interferometer on an atom chip

Here we propose and demonstrate a new way of using SG type methods in order to split and recombine matter waves. We use Rabi oscillations and magnetic field gradients in order to split ⁸⁷Rb atoms into two momentum components while keeping the two outputs of the beam splitter (BS) in the same spin state (Zeeman sublevels). After recombining the two outputs of the BS a spatial fringe pattern is observed. The new BS may enable a wide range of applications, such as, fundamental studies of many-body entanglement and dephasing processes, probing classical and quantum properties of nearby solids, and metrology of rotation, acceleration and gravity on a chip scale.