The coherent manipulation of a quantum wave is at the core of quantum
sensing. For instance, atom interferometers require linear splitting and
recombination processes to map the accumulated phase shift into a measurable
population signal. Although Bose Einstein condensates (BECs) are the archetype
of coherent matter waves, their manipulation between trapped spatial modes has
been limited by the strong interparticle collisions. Here, we overcome this
problem by using BECs with tunable interaction trapped in an innovative array
of double-well potentials and exploiting quantum tunneling to realize linear
beam splitting. We operate several Mach-Zehnder interferometers in parallel,
canceling common-mode potential instabilities by a differential analysis, thus
demonstrating a trapped-atom gradiometer. Furthermore, by applying a spin-echo
protocol, we suppress additional decoherence sources and approach unprecedented
coherence times of one second. Our interferometer will find applications in
precision measurements of forces with a high spatial resolution and in linear
manipulation of quantum entangled states for sensing with sub shot-noise
sensitivity.

Este artículo explora los viajes en el tiempo y sus implicaciones.

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