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arXiv:0911.1366 · Physical Review A

Spatial interference from well-separated split condensates

Mateusz E. Zawadzki, Paul F. Griffin, Erling Riis, Aidan S. Arnold

Published Apr 13, 2010• 24 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We use magnetic levitation and a variable-separation dual optical plug to obtain clear spatial interference between two condensates axially separated by up to $0.25$ mm---the largest separation observed with this kind of interferometer. Clear planar fringes are observed using standard (i.e., nontomographic) resonant absorption imaging. The effect of a weak inverted parabola potential on fringe separation is observed and agrees well with theory.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.81.043608

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We use magnetic levitation and a variable-separation dual optical plug to obtain clear spatial interference between two condensates axially separated by up to 0.250.250.25 mm---the largest separation observed with this kind of interferometer. Clear planar fringes are observed using standard (i.e., nontomographic) resonant absorption imaging. The effect of a weak inverted parabola potential on fringe separation is observed and agrees well with theory.
Magnetic levitation is used to obtain clear spatial interference between two Bose-Einstein condensates which are initially axially separated. Fringes with periods of up to 85 µm are observed using standard (non-tomographic) resonant absorption imaging, utilising the `magnifying' effect of a weak axial inverted parabolic potential [1]. With 160ms levitation [2], and careful choice of probe detuning, single-shot interference contrast of > 95% is observed (Fig. 1a) - close to the theoretical limit caused by CCD camera pixellation of the sinusoidal fringes. In addition, we observe dramatic variation of the fringe contrast as a function of camera focal position due to the spatial Talbot effect.
We use magnetic levitation [1-3] and a variable-separation dual optical plug [4] to obtain clear spatial interference between two BECs axially separated by up to 0.25mm. Fringes are observed using standard (i.e. non-tomographic) resonant absorption imaging. The `magnifying' effect of a weak inverted parabola potential on fringe separation is observed and agrees well with theory [4]. With 160ms levitation we recently observed single-shot interference contrasts of 95% (see 1.5×0.75mm absorption image below), close to the theoretical limit due to pixellation of the sinusoidal fringes on our CCD camera. Interference patterns with fringe periods of 85microns (individual de Broglie wavelengths of 170microns) are possible with 200ms levitation.
A trapped-atom interferometer was demonstrated using gaseous Bose-Einstein condensates coherently split by deforming an optical single-well potential into a double-well potential. The relative phase between the two condensates was determined from the spatial phase of the matter wave interference pattern formed upon releasing the condensates from the separated potential wells. Coherent phase evolution was observed for condensates held separated by 13 microm for up to 5 ms and was controlled by applying ac Stark shift potentials to either of the two separated condensates.
Interference between two freely expanding Bose-Einstein condensates has been observed. Two condensates separated by approximately 40 micrometers were created by evaporatively cooling sodium atoms in a double-well potential formed by magnetic and optical forces. High-contrast matter-wave interference fringes with a period of approximately 15 micrometers were observed after switching off the potential and letting the condensates expand for 40 milliseconds and overlap. This demonstrates that Bose condensed atoms are "laser-like"; that is, they are coherent and show long-range correlations. These results have direct implications for the atom laser and the Josephson effect for atoms.
A trapped >(87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensate is initially put into a superposition of two internal states. Under the effect of gravity and by means of a second transition, we prepare two vertically displaced condensates in the same internal state. These constitute two coherent sources of matter waves with adjustable spatial separation. Fringe patterns, observed after free expansion, are associated with the interplay between internal and external degrees of freedom and substantially agree with those for a double-slit experiment.