Measuring the Temporal Coherence of an Atom Laser Beam

2001/04/30 by Michael Köhl, Theodor W. Hänsch, Tilman Esslinger · 5 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Frequency and Time Standards #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #cond-mat

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.87.160404

4 pages, 3 figures

arxiv created 2001/06/29 · openalex publication_date 2001/10/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We report on the measurement of the temporal coherence of an atom laser beam extracted from a (87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensate. Reflecting the beam from a potential barrier creates a standing matter wave structure. From the contrast of this interference pattern, observed by magnetic resonance imaging, we have deduced an energy width of the atom laser beam which is Fourier limited by the duration of output coupling. This gives an upper limit for temporal phase fluctuations in the Bose-Einstein condensate.

Citations

• Observation of Bose-Einstein Condensation in a Dilute Atomic Vapor

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