ATOMIC INTERFEROMETER SYSTEM

An atom interferometer system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal atoms. An optical system generates first and second interrogation beams having respective first and second frequencies and a circular polarization. The optical system includes optics that provide the first and second interrogation beams through the sensor cell in a first direction and reflect the first and second interrogation beams back through the sensor cell in a second direction opposite the first direction and in a same circular polarization to drive the alkali metal atoms from a first energy state to a greater energy state during an interrogation stage of sequential measurement cycles. A detection system detects a state distribution of a population of the alkali metal atoms between the first energy state and the second energy state during the interrogation stage based on an optical response.