An atom interferometer system comprising: a sensor cell comprising alkali metal atoms; an optical system that generates a first interrogation beam (OPT INT1) having a first frequency and a first circular polarization and a second interrogation beam (OPT INT2) having the first circular polarization and a second frequency different from the first frequency, the optical system comprising optics that provide the first and second interrogation beams (OPT INT1, OPT INT2) through the alkali metal atoms in the sensor cell in a first direction to provide for absorption of photons in a population of the alkali metal atoms via the first frequency of the first interrogation beam (OPT INT1) in the first circular polarization to provide a first photon momentum of the population of the alkali metal atoms in a first momentum direction and reflect the first and second interrogation beams back through the alkali metal atoms in the sensor cell in a second direction opposite the first direction and in the first circular polarization to provide for emission of photons in the population of the alkali metal atoms via the second frequency of the second interrogation beam (OPT INT2) in the first circular polarization to provide a second photon momentum of the population of the alkali metal atoms in the first momentum direction to drive an energy transition of the alkali metal atoms between a first energy state and a second energy state during an interrogation stage in each of sequential measurement cycles; a magnetic field generator configured to provide a uniform magnetic field in the sensor cell, the uniform magnetic field having a magnitude to provide for a transition frequency of the alkali metal atoms that is approximately centered on the energy transition of the alkali metal atoms from the first energy state to the second energy state; and a detection system that detects a population state distribution based on an optical response (OPT DET) during a state readout stage in each of the sequential measurement cycles based on a transition of the population of the alkali metal atoms between the first energy state to the second energy state during the interrogation stage, the detection system being further configured to determine at least one measurable parameter based on the detected population state distribution of the alkali metal atoms. a sensor cell comprising alkali metal atoms; an optical system that generates a first interrogation beam (OPT INT1) having a first frequency and a first circular polarization and a second interrogation beam (OPT INT2) having the first circular polarization and a second frequency different from the first frequency, the optical system comprising optics that provide the first and second interrogation beams (OPT INT1, OPT INT2) through the alkali metal atoms in the sensor cell in a first direction to provide for absorption of photons in a population of the alkali metal atoms via the first frequency of the first interrogation beam (OPT INT1) in the first circular polarization to provide a first photon momentum of the population of the alkali metal atoms in a first momentum direction and reflect the first and second interrogation beams back through the alkali metal atoms in the sensor cell in a second direction opposite the first direction and in the first circular polarization to provide for emission of photons in the population of the alkali metal atoms via the second frequency of the second interrogation beam (OPT INT2) in the first circular polarization to provide a second photon momentum of the population of the alkali metal atoms in the first momentum direction to drive an energy transition of the alkali metal atoms between a first energy state and a second energy state during an interrogation stage in each of sequential measurement cycles; a magnetic field generator configured to provide a uniform magnetic field in the sensor cell, the uniform magnetic field having a magnitude to provide for a transition frequency of the alkali metal atoms that is approximately centered on the energy transition of the alkali metal atoms from the first energy state to the second energy state; and a detection system that detects a population state distribution based on an optical response (OPT DET) during a state readout stage in each of the sequential measurement cycles based on a transition of the population of the alkali metal atoms between the first energy state to the second energy state during the interrogation stage, the detection system being further configured to determine at least one measurable parameter based on the detected population state distribution of the alkali metal atoms.