Observation of transverse interference fringes on an atom laser beam

Using the unique detection properties offered by metastable helium atoms we have produced high resolution images of the transverse spatial profiles of an atom laser beam. We observe fringes on the beam, resulting from quantum mechanical interference between atoms that start from rest at different tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Optics express 2007-12, Vol.15 (26), p.17673-17680
Main Authors: Dall, R G, Byron, L J, Truscott, A G, Dennis, G R, Johnsson, M T, Jeppesen, M, Hope, J J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Computer Simulation
Helium - chemistry
Lasers
Light
Models, Chemical
Quantum Theory
Refractometry - methods
Scattering, Radiation
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Summary:Using the unique detection properties offered by metastable helium atoms we have produced high resolution images of the transverse spatial profiles of an atom laser beam. We observe fringes on the beam, resulting from quantum mechanical interference between atoms that start from rest at different transverse locations within the outcoupling surface and end up at a later time with different velocities at the same transverse position. Numerical simulations in the low output-coupling limit give good quantitative agreement with our experimental data.
ISSN:1094-4087
1094-4087
DOI:10.1364/OE.15.017673