Matter-wave collimation to picokelvin energies with scattering length and potential shape control

The sensitivity of atom interferometers depends on their ability to realize long pulse separation times and prevent loss of contrast by limiting the expansion of the atomic ensemble within the interferometer beam through matter-wave collimation. Here we investigate the impact of atomic interactions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Communications physics 2024-04, Vol.7 (1), p.132-8, Article 132
Main Authors: Herbst, Alexander, Estrampes, Timothé, Albers, Henning, Corgier, Robin, Stolzenberg, Knut, Bode, Sebastian, Charron, Eric, Rasel, Ernst M., Gaaloul, Naceur, Schlippert, Dennis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/766/119/2791
639/766/36/1125
639/766/483/3924
Atomic interactions
Atomic Physics
Bose-Einstein condensates
Cameras
Collimation
Condensed Matter
Dipoles
Energy
Interferometers
Microgravity
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Quantum Gases
Quantum Physics
Scattering
Shape control
Simulation
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Summary:The sensitivity of atom interferometers depends on their ability to realize long pulse separation times and prevent loss of contrast by limiting the expansion of the atomic ensemble within the interferometer beam through matter-wave collimation. Here we investigate the impact of atomic interactions on collimation by applying a lensing protocol to a 39 K Bose-Einstein condensate at different scattering lengths. Tailoring interactions, we measure energies corresponding to (340 ± 12) pK in one direction. Our results are supported by an accurate simulation, which allows us to extrapolate a 2D ballistic expansion energy of (438 ± 77) pK. Based on our findings we propose an advanced scenario, which enables 3D expansion energies below 16 pK by implementing an additional pulsed delta-kick. Our results pave the way to realize ensembles with more than 1 × 10 5 atoms and 3D energies in the two-digit pK range in typical dipole trap setups without the need for micro-gravity or long baseline environments. Precision measurements with atom interferometers benefit from reducing the expansion rate of the atomic ensemble within the interferometric beam through matter-wave collimation. Here we demonstrate a collimation method based on time-averaged optical potentials and tunable interactions, realizing expansion energies of a few hundred picokelvin.
ISSN:2399-3650
2399-3650
DOI:10.1038/s42005-024-01621-w