Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:quant-ph/0703065 · Physical Review A

Cavity-enhanced superradiant Rayleigh scattering with ultracold and Bose-Einstein condensed atoms

Sebastian Slama, Gordon Krenz, Simone Bux, Claus Zimmermann, Ph. W. Courteille

Published Jun 20, 2007• 77 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We report on the observation of collective atomic recoil lasing and superradiant Rayleigh scattering with ultracold and Bose-Einstein condensed atoms in an optical ring cavity. Both phenomena are based on instabilities evoked by the collective interaction of light with cold atomic gases. This publication clarifies the link between the two effects. The observation of superradiant behavior with thermal clouds as hot as several tens of $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$ proves that the phenomena are driven by the cooperative dynamics of the atoms, which is strongly enhanced by the presence of the ring cavity.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.75.063620

Related papers

Superradiant Rayleigh Scattering and Collective Atomic Recoil Lasing in a Ring Cavity

Sebastian Slama, Simone Bux, Gordon Krenz +2 more

Collective interaction of light with an atomic gas can give rise to superradiant instabilities. We experimentally study the sudden buildup of a reverse light field in a laser-driven high-finesse ring cavity filled with ultracold thermal or Bose-Einstein condensed atoms. While superradiant Rayleigh scattering from atomic clouds is normally observed only at very low temperatures (i.e., well below 1 microK), the presence of the ring cavity enhances cooperativity and allows for superradiance with thermal clouds as hot as several 10 microK. A characterization of the superradiance at various temperatures and cooperativity parameters allows us to link it to the collective atomic recoil laser.

Physical Review Letters•Feb 1, 2007•245 citations

Superradiant Rayleigh scattering in a ring cavity

Sebastian Slama, Simone Bux, Gordon Krenz +2 more

Collective interaction of light with an atomic gas can give rise to superradiant instabilities. We experimentally study the sudden build-up of a reverse light field in a laser-driven high-finesse ring cavity filled with ultracold thermal or condensed atoms. While superradiant Rayleigh scattering from atomic clouds is normally only observed at very low temperatures (i.e. well below $1 μ$K), the presence of the ring cavity enhances cooperativity and allows for superradiance with thermal clouds as hot as several $10 μ$K. A characterization of the superradiance at various temperatures and cooperativity parameters allows us to link it to the collective atomic recoil laser.

arXiv:quant-ph/0610213•Oct 25, 2006•1 citation

Collective Atomic Recoil Lasing and Superradiant Rayleigh Scattering in a high-Q ring cavity

Sebastian Slama, Gordon Krenz, Simone Bux +6 more

Cold atoms in optical high‐Q cavities are an ideal model system for long‐range interacting particles. The position of two arbitrary atoms is, independent on their distance, coupled by the back‐scattering of photons within the cavity. This mutual coupling can lead to collective instability and self‐organization of a cloud of cold atoms interacting with the cavity fields. This phenomenon (CARL, i.e. Collective Atomic Recoil Lasing) has been discussed theoretically for years, but was observed only recently in our lab. The CARL‐effect is closely linked to superradiant Rayleigh scattering, which has been intensely studied with Bose‐Einstein condensates in free space. By adding a resonator the coherence time of the system, in which the instability occurs, can be strongly enhanced. This enables us to observe cavity‐enhanced superradiance with both Bose‐Einstein condensates and thermal clouds and allows us to close the discussion about the role of quantum statistics in superradiant scattering.

arXiv:0711.3101•AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2008•6 citations

Cooperative scattering of light and atoms in ultracold atomic gases

Hermann Uys, Pierre Meystre

Superradiance and coherent atomic recoil lasing are two closely related phenomena, both resulting from the cooperative scattering of light by atoms. In ultracold atomic gases below the critical temperature for Bose-Einstein condensation these processes take place with the simultaneous amplification of the atomic matter waves. We explore these phenomena by surveying some of the experimental and theoretical developments that have emerged in this field of study since the first observation of superradiant scattering from a Bose-Einstein condensate in 1999 [1].

Laser Physics Letters•Mar 27, 2008•13 citations

Superradiant Rayleigh Scattering from a Bose-Einstein Condensate

S. Inouye, A. P. Chikkatur, Dan Stamper-Kurn +3 more

Rayleigh scattering off a Bose-Einstein condensate was studied. Exposing an elongated condensate to a single off-resonant laser beam resulted in the observation of highly directional scattering of light and atoms. This collective light scattering is caused by the coherent center-of-mass motion of the atoms in the condensate. A directional beam of recoiling atoms was built up by matter wave amplification.

Science•Jul 23, 1999•538 citations

Collective atomic recoil in a moving Bose-Einstein condensate: From superradiance to Bragg scattering

L. Fallani, C. Fort, N. Piovella +4 more

We present the results of an experiment on light scattering from an elongated Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) interacting with a far-off-resonant pump laser. By collective atomic recoil lasing (CARL) a coherent superposition of two atomic wave packets with different momenta is created. Varying the intensity of a weak counterpropagating laser beam we observe the transition from the pure superradiant regime to the Bragg scattering regime, where Rabi oscillations in a two-level system are observed. The process is limited by the decoherence between the two atomic wave packets. In the superradiant regime the experiment gives evidence of a contribution to decoherence which depends on the initial velocity of the condensate. The system is described by the CARL-BEC model, which is a generalization of the Gross-Pitaevskii model to include the self-consistent evolution of the scattered field and a phase-diffusion decoherence process, which accounts for the observed damping.

Physical Review A•Mar 8, 2005•74 citations
We report on the observation of collective atomic recoil lasing and superradiant Rayleigh scattering with ultracold and Bose-Einstein condensed atoms in an optical ring cavity. Both phenomena are based on instabilities evoked by the collective interaction of light with cold atomic gases. This publication clarifies the link between the two effects. The observation of superradiant behavior with thermal clouds as hot as several tens of \ensuremathμK\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}\ensuremathμK proves that the phenomena are driven by the cooperative dynamics of the atoms, which is strongly enhanced by the presence of the ring cavity.
Collective interaction of light with an atomic gas can give rise to superradiant instabilities. We experimentally study the sudden buildup of a reverse light field in a laser-driven high-finesse ring cavity filled with ultracold thermal or Bose-Einstein condensed atoms. While superradiant Rayleigh scattering from atomic clouds is normally observed only at very low temperatures (i.e., well below 1 microK), the presence of the ring cavity enhances cooperativity and allows for superradiance with thermal clouds as hot as several 10 microK. A characterization of the superradiance at various temperatures and cooperativity parameters allows us to link it to the collective atomic recoil laser.
Collective interaction of light with an atomic gas can give rise to superradiant instabilities. We experimentally study the sudden build-up of a reverse light field in a laser-driven high-finesse ring cavity filled with ultracold thermal or condensed atoms. While superradiant Rayleigh scattering from atomic clouds is normally only observed at very low temperatures (i.e. well below 1μ1 μ1μK), the presence of the ring cavity enhances cooperativity and allows for superradiance with thermal clouds as hot as several 10μ10 μ10μK. A characterization of the superradiance at various temperatures and cooperativity parameters allows us to link it to the collective atomic recoil laser.
Cold atoms in optical high‐Q cavities are an ideal model system for long‐range interacting particles. The position of two arbitrary atoms is, independent on their distance, coupled by the back‐scattering of photons within the cavity. This mutual coupling can lead to collective instability and self‐organization of a cloud of cold atoms interacting with the cavity fields. This phenomenon (CARL, i.e. Collective Atomic Recoil Lasing) has been discussed theoretically for years, but was observed only recently in our lab. The CARL‐effect is closely linked to superradiant Rayleigh scattering, which has been intensely studied with Bose‐Einstein condensates in free space. By adding a resonator the coherence time of the system, in which the instability occurs, can be strongly enhanced. This enables us to observe cavity‐enhanced superradiance with both Bose‐Einstein condensates and thermal clouds and allows us to close the discussion about the role of quantum statistics in superradiant scattering.
Superradiance and coherent atomic recoil lasing are two closely related phenomena, both resulting from the cooperative scattering of light by atoms. In ultracold atomic gases below the critical temperature for Bose-Einstein condensation these processes take place with the simultaneous amplification of the atomic matter waves. We explore these phenomena by surveying some of the experimental and theoretical developments that have emerged in this field of study since the first observation of superradiant scattering from a Bose-Einstein condensate in 1999 [1].
We present the results of an experiment on light scattering from an elongated Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) interacting with a far-off-resonant pump laser. By collective atomic recoil lasing (CARL) a coherent superposition of two atomic wave packets with different momenta is created. Varying the intensity of a weak counterpropagating laser beam we observe the transition from the pure superradiant regime to the Bragg scattering regime, where Rabi oscillations in a two-level system are observed. The process is limited by the decoherence between the two atomic wave packets. In the superradiant regime the experiment gives evidence of a contribution to decoherence which depends on the initial velocity of the condensate. The system is described by the CARL-BEC model, which is a generalization of the Gross-Pitaevskii model to include the self-consistent evolution of the scattered field and a phase-diffusion decoherence process, which accounts for the observed damping.