Abstract. We report on a novel experiment to generate non-classical atomic states via quantum non-demolition (QND) measurements on cold atomic samples prepared in a high-finesse ring cavity. The heterodyne technique developed for QND detection exhibits an optical shot-noise limited behavior for local oscillator optical power of a few hundred µW, and a detection bandwidth of several GHz. This detection tool is used in a single pass to follow nondestructively the internal state evolution of an atomic sample when subjected to Rabi oscillations or a spin-echo interferometric sequence.

We demonstrate how to use feedback to control the internal states of trapped coherent ensembles of two-level atoms, and to protect a superposition state against the decoherence induced by a collective noise. Our feedback scheme is based on weak optical measurements with negligible back-action and coherent microwave manipulations. The efficiency of the feedback system is studied for a simple binary noise model and characterized in terms of the trade-off between information retrieval and destructivity from the optical probe. We also demonstrate the correction of more general types of collective noise. This technique can be used for the operation of atomic interferometers beyond the standard Ramsey scheme, opening the way towards improved atomic sensors.