Abstract
This talk is a limited overview of the principles and techniques ofinterferometry with ‘matter waves’ – quantum interferometry to be moreprecise. I will focus on interferometers employing laser-cooled neutralatoms. The variety of ways in which atoms with internal states can respond tofields of external perturbations and ‘interfere’ is reflected in the richvariety of atom interferometers that can explore avenues not accessible tooptical interferometers. In particular, I will discuss the operation ofquantum interferometers in a gravitational field, stressing its ability tomeasure gravitational and inertial fields with unprecedented sensitivity. Thisalso leads to some fundamental issues of interpretation in the context ofgravitational redshift and time dilation. I will end with discussion whethergravimetry with quantum interferometers is equivalent to a measurement of thegravitational time dilation.
