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arXiv:0709.1017 · Physical Review A

Multibeam atom laser: Coherent atom beam splitting from a single far-detuned laser

Julien Dugué, G. R. Dennis, Matthew Jeppesen, Mattias Johnsson, C. Figl, Nicholas P. Robins, J. D. Close

Published Mar 14, 2008• 5 citations
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Abstract

We report the experimental realization of a multibeam atom laser. A single continuous atom laser is outcoupled from a Bose-Einstein condensate via an optical Raman transition. The atom laser is subsequently split into up to five atomic beams with slightly different momenta, resulting in multiple, nearly copropagating, coherent beams which could be of use in interferometric experiments. The splitting process itself is a realization of Bragg diffraction, driven by each of the optical Raman laser beams independently. This presents a significantly simpler implementation of an atomic beam splitter, one of the main elements of coherent atom optics.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.77.031603

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We report the experimental realization of a multibeam atom laser. A single continuous atom laser is outcoupled from a Bose-Einstein condensate via an optical Raman transition. The atom laser is subsequently split into up to five atomic beams with slightly different momenta, resulting in multiple, nearly copropagating, coherent beams which could be of use in interferometric experiments. The splitting process itself is a realization of Bragg diffraction, driven by each of the optical Raman laser beams independently. This presents a significantly simpler implementation of an atomic beam splitter, one of the main elements of coherent atom optics.
An atom interferometer is a ubiquitous tool for measuring fundamental constants and inertial sensing. While it has been extremely useful in measuring inertial rotations, the fine-structure constant, gravity gradients, and local gravity, the measurement process lacks the ability to probe continuously due to its single-shot nature. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate the diffraction of an atom laser in the Raman-Nath regime, a key step towards the development of an atom-laser-based interferometer. The diffraction orders can be precisely controlled, and momenta up to $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}18\ensuremath{\hbar}k$ can be imparted to the atom laser. We form the ``atom laser'' by outcoupling a quasicontinuous beam of coherent atoms from a reservoir of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb Bose-Einstein condensate lasting up to 400 ms. This atom laser then interacts with a grating formed by a standing wave of far-detuned laser light. By controlling the interaction time, the strength of diffraction into various orders can be controlled. Such diffraction would allow for the construction of an atom-interferometer to probe changes in physical environments continuously up to a few hundred milliseconds.
We introduce a scheme for creating continuous variable entanglement between an atomic beam and an optical field, by using squeezed light to outcouple atoms from a Bose-Einstein condensate via a Raman transition. We model the full multimode dynamics of the atom laser beam and the squeezed optical field and show that, with appropriate two-photon detuning and two-photon Rabi frequency, the transmitted light is entangled in amplitude and phase with the outcoupled atom laser beam. The degree of entanglement is controllable via changes in the two-photon Rabi frequency of the outcoupling process.
Atom lasers have been demonstrated in both pulsed and semi-continuous modes. The dynamics of these devices is predicted to be dramatically different to the optical laser due to fundamental differences between the two types of boson fields, however to date it is the similarities that have been emphasized. Here we show how the atom laser dynamics are strongly affected by coupling of the output beam back to the condensate. Typically research in the field of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) 1 relates to studies of fundamental properties, such as collective modes 2 or to the response of the BEC to external stimuli 3. In contrast, the atom laser is one of the most promising technologies to arise from BEC, being the di-rect atomic equivalent of the optical laser 4. Mewes et al. 5 demonstrated the first atom laser, based on the application of pulsed radio-frequency (RF) fields to induce controlled spin flips from magnetically trapped to un-trapped states of a Bose-Einstein condensate. Later it was shown by Hagley et al. 6 that a pulsed Raman out-coupling could be used to achieve a quasi-continuous multi-state atomic beam. Bloch et al. 7 achieved con-tinuous RF out-coulping for up to 100ms, producing a single state atom laser beam, and showed that this beam could be coherently manipulated in direct analogy to the optical laser 8. These experiments, and others 9,10, have conclusively demonstrated that the outcoupling process can be made coherent. They have also demonstrated a number of other similarities be-tween the optical and atomic lasers such as high flux and low divergence of the output beam. In all these works, the similarities between the two sys-tems have been emphasized, however, ultimately it is the differences such as mass and wavelength that will lead to applications of the atom laser. 1
A new method of realizing coherent split of atomic wave packet has been presented in this paper. Due to using Doppler effect and stimulated Raman transition, it Can be applied directly in thermal atomic beam and only needs a single-frequency standing wave laser field. Theoretical analyses show that of both atoms and light field meet some conditions, atomic wave packet will be split coherently after interaction. Finally,the experiment of the atomic beam splitter by using this method is described. The results are in good agreement with the theoretical predication.
We study the properties of an atom laser beam derived from a Bose-Einstein condensate using three different outcouplers, one based on multistate radio-frequency transitions and two others based on Raman transitions capable of imparting momentum to the beam. We first summarize the differences that arise in such systems, and how they may impact on the use of an atom laser in interferometry. Experimentally, we examine the formation of a bound state in all three outcouplers, a phenomenon which limits the atom laser flux, and find that a two-state Raman outcoupler is the preferred option for high-flux, low-divergence atom laser beams.
We present results on a Raman laser-system that resonantly drives a closed two-photon transition between two levels in different hyperfine ground states of (87)Rb. The coupler is based on a novel optical design for producing two phase-coherent optical beams to drive a Raman transition. Operated as an outcoupler, it produces an atom laser in a single internal atomic state, with the lower divergence and increased brightness typical of a Raman outcoupler. Due to the optical nature of the outcoupling, the two-state outcoupler is an ideal candidate for transferring photon correlations onto atom-laser beams. As our laser system couples just two hyperfine ground states, it has also been used as an internal state beamsplitter, taking the next major step towards free space Ramsey interferometry with an atom laser.