30 research outputs found
Loading a vapor cell magneto-optic trap using light-induced atom desorption
Low intensity white light was used to increase the loading rate of Rb
atoms into a vapor cell magneto-optic trap by inducing non-thermal desorption
of Rb atoms from the stainless steel walls of the vapor cell. An increased Rb
partial pressure reached a new equilibrium value in less than 10 seconds after
switching on the broadband light source. After the source was turned off, the
partial pressure returned to its previous value in times as short as 10
seconds.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
Coherent Evolution of Bouncing Bose-Einstein Condensates
We investigate the evolution of Bose-Einstein condensates falling under
gravity and bouncing off a mirror formed by a far-detuned sheet of light. After
reflection, the atomic density profile develops splitting and interference
structures which depend on the drop height, on the strength of the light sheet,
as well as on the initial mean field energy and size of the condensate. We
compare experimental results with simulations of the Gross-Pitaevski equation.
A comparison with the behaviour of bouncing thermal clouds allows to identify
quantum features specific for condensates.Comment: 4 page
Gravity-induced Wannier-Stark ladder in an optical lattice
We discuss the dynamics of ultracold atoms in an optical potential
accelerated by gravity. The positions and widths of the Wannier-Stark ladder of
resonances are obtained as metastable states. The metastable Wannier-Bloch
states oscillate in a single band with the Bloch period. The width of the
resonance gives the rate transition to the continuum.Comment: 5 pages + 8 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Optics with an Atom Laser Beam
We report on the atom optical manipulation of an atom laser beam. Reflection,
focusing and its storage in a resonator are demonstrated. Precise and versatile
mechanical control over an atom laser beam propagating in an inhomogeneous
magnetic field is achieved by optically inducing spin-flips between atomic
ground states with different magnetic moment. The magnetic force acting on the
atoms can thereby be effectively switched on and off. The surface of the atom
optical element is determined by the resonance condition for the spin-flip in
the inhomogeneous magnetic field. A mirror reflectivity of more than 98% is
measured
Observation of radiation pressure exerted by evanescent waves
We report a direct observation of radiation pressure, exerted on cold
rubidium atoms while bouncing on an evanescent-wave atom mirror. We analyze the
radiation pressure by imaging the motion of the atoms after the bounce. The
number of absorbed photons is measured for laser detunings ranging from {190
MHz} to {1.4 GHz} and for angles from {0.9 mrad} to {24 mrad} above the
critical angle of total internal reflection. Depending on these settings, we
find velocity changes parallel with the mirror surface, ranging from 1 to {18
cm/s}. This corresponds to 2 to 31 photon recoils per atom. These results are
independent of the evanescent-wave optical power.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
All Optical Formation of an Atomic Bose-Einstein Condensate
We have created a Bose-Einstein condensate of 87Rb atoms directly in an
optical trap. We employ a quasi-electrostatic dipole force trap formed by two
crossed CO_2 laser beams. Loading directly from a sub-doppler laser-cooled
cloud of atoms results in initial phase space densities of ~1/200.
Evaporatively cooling through the BEC transition is achieved by lowering the
power in the trapping beams over ~ 2 s. The resulting condensates are F=1
spinors with 3.5 x 10^4 atoms distributed between the m_F = (-1,0,1) states.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Superchemistry: dynamics of coupled atomic and molecular Bose-Einstein condensates
We analyze the dynamics of a dilute, trapped Bose-condensed atomic gas
coupled to a diatomic molecular Bose gas by coherent Raman transitions. This
system is shown to result in a new type of `superchemistry', in which giant
collective oscillations between the atomic and molecular gas can occur. The
phenomenon is caused by stimulated emission of bosonic atoms or molecules into
their condensate phases
Bragg spectroscopy of a Bose-Einstein condensate
Properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate were studied by stimulated,
two-photon Bragg scattering. The high momentum and energy resolution of this
method allowed a spectroscopic measurement of the mean-field energy and of the
intrinsic momentum uncertainty of the condensate. The coherence length of the
condensate was shown to be equal to its size. Bragg spectroscopy can be used to
determine the dynamic structure factor over a wide range of energy and momentum
transfers.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Wavepacket reconstruction via local dynamics in a parabolic lattice
We study the dynamics of a wavepacket in a potential formed by the sum of a
periodic lattice and of a parabolic potential. The dynamics of the wavepacket
is essentially a superposition of ``local Bloch oscillations'', whose frequency
is proportional to the local slope of the parabolic potential. We show that the
amplitude and the phase of the Fourier transform of a signal characterizing
this dynamics contains information about the amplitude and the phase of the
wavepacket at a given lattice site. Hence, {\em complete} reconstruction of the
the wavepacket in the real space can be performed from the study of the
dynamics of the system.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, RevTex
Optical Confinement of a Bose-Einstein Condensate
Bose-Einstein condensates of sodium atoms have been confined in an optical
dipole trap using a single focused infrared laser beam. This eliminates the
restrictions of magnetic traps for further studies of atom lasers and
Bose-Einstein condensates. More than five million condensed atoms were
transferred into the optical trap. Densities of up to of Bose condensed atoms were obtained, allowing for a measurement of
the three-body decay rate constant for sodium condensates as . At lower densities, the observed 1/e
lifetime was more than 10 sec. Simultaneous confinement of Bose-Einstein
condensates in several hyperfine states was demonstrated.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure