Bose-Einstein-Condensation

Stefan Kienzle
Technische Universität München

22. Mai 2013

Outline

1 About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)

2 BEC Production

3 Evaporative Cooling

4 Absorption Imaging

5 Interference Between Two Bose Condensates

6 Summary
Outline

1 About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)

2 BEC Production

3 Evaporative Cooling

4 Absorption Imaging

5 Interference Between Two Bose Condensates

6 Summary
History of BEC

I BEC: state of matter in which all atoms occupy lowest

quantum state (ground state)

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) History of BEC 4 / 28

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History of BEC

I BEC: state of matter in which all atoms occupy lowest

quantum state (ground state)
I S.N. Bose (1924)
quantum statistical treatment of photons

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) History of BEC 4 / 28

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History of BEC

I BEC: state of matter in which all atoms occupy lowest

quantum state (ground state)
I S.N. Bose (1924)
quantum statistical treatment of photons
I A. Einstein (1924/25)
extended Bose’s idea to material particles
predicted BEC in an ideal quantum gas

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) History of BEC 4 / 28

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History of BEC

I BEC: state of matter in which all atoms occupy lowest

quantum state (ground state)
I S.N. Bose (1924)
quantum statistical treatment of photons
I A. Einstein (1924/25)
extended Bose’s idea to material particles
predicted BEC in an ideal quantum gas

I W. Ketterle, E. Cornell & C. Wieman (1995)

produced the first gaseous condensate
Nobel Price of Physics (2001)

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) History of BEC 4 / 28

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What is a BEC

I High temperature T : weak interacting gas

Describe with thermal velocity v , number density n,
distance between atoms d

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) What is a BEC 5 / 28

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What is a BEC

I High temperature T : weak interacting gas

Describe with thermal velocity v , number density n,
distance between atoms d
I Low temperature T : quantum mechanical description

s
h2
λDB = De-Broglie Wavelength
2πmkB T

with Planck constant h, Boltzmann constant kB and

mass of atoms m

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) What is a BEC 5 / 28

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What is a BEC

I High temperature T : weak interacting gas

Describe with thermal velocity v , number density n,
distance between atoms d
I Low temperature T : quantum mechanical description

s
h2
λDB = De-Broglie Wavelength
2πmkB T

with Planck constant h, Boltzmann constant kB and

mass of atoms m
I T = TC : wavepackets start to overlap and form a
BEC

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) What is a BEC 5 / 28

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What is a BEC

I High temperature T : weak interacting gas

Describe with thermal velocity v , number density n,
distance between atoms d
I Low temperature T : quantum mechanical description

s
h2
λDB = De-Broglie Wavelength
2πmkB T

with Planck constant h, Boltzmann constant kB and

mass of atoms m
I T = TC : wavepackets start to overlap and form a
BEC
I T = 0 K: pure BEC, described by one single
wavefunction

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) What is a BEC 5 / 28

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Prerequisites

I Ultracold bosonic gases, Ultra-high vacuum

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) Prerequisites 6 / 28

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Prerequisites

I Ultracold bosonic gases, Ultra-high vacuum

I Bosons: integer spin
Fermions: half integer spin and governed by
Pauli-Principle

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) Prerequisites 6 / 28

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Prerequisites

I Ultracold bosonic gases, Ultra-high vacuum

I Bosons: integer spin
Fermions: half integer spin and governed by
Pauli-Principle
I Ultralow temperatures
h2
λDB ≈ d = n−1/3 ⇒ TC (n) = · n2/3
2πmkB
with critical temperature Tc (n)
I.e. TC (n) ≈ 100 nK for dilute gases at densities of
1014 cm−3

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) Prerequisites 6 / 28

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Prerequisites

I Ultracold bosonic gases, Ultra-high vacuum

I Bosons: integer spin
Fermions: half integer spin and governed by
Pauli-Principle
I Ultralow temperatures
h2
λDB ≈ d = n−1/3 ⇒ TC (n) = · n2/3
2πmkB
with critical temperature Tc (n)
I.e. TC (n) ≈ 100 nK for dilute gases at densities of
1014 cm−3
I Phase-space density D crucial for BEC

D = n · λ3DB D > 2.612

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) Prerequisites 6 / 28

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BEC Dynamics

I Many-body ground state

ψ(~r , t) = ψ(~r )e −iµt
with ground state energy / chemical potential µ

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) BEC Dynamics 7 / 28

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BEC Dynamics

I Many-body ground state

ψ(~r , t) = ψ(~r )e −iµt
with ground state energy / chemical potential µ
I Dynamic: Gross-Pitaevski equation
h2
 
∂
i h ψ(~r , t) = − · ∇2 + U(~r ) + Ũ|ψ(~r , t)|2 ψ(~r , t)
∂t 2m

with harmonic potential U(~r ) = 12 m(ω2x x 2 + ω2y y 2 + ω2z z 2 ) and Ũ = 4πh2 a/m
describing two body collisions

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) BEC Dynamics 7 / 28

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BEC Dynamics

I Many-body ground state

ψ(~r , t) = ψ(~r )e −iµt
with ground state energy / chemical potential µ
I Dynamic: Gross-Pitaevski equation
h2
 
∂
i h ψ(~r , t) = − · ∇2 + U(~r ) + Ũ|ψ(~r , t)|2 ψ(~r , t)
∂t 2m

with harmonic potential U(~r ) = 12 m(ω2x x 2 + ω2y y 2 + ω2z z 2 ) and Ũ = 4πh2 a/m
describing two body collisions
I Thomas-Fermi limit (nŨ  hωx,y ,z ): neglect term for kinetic energy ⇒ density of
condensate 
µ − U(~r )
nc (~r ) = |ψ(~r , t)|2 = max ,0
Ũ

About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) BEC Dynamics 7 / 28

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Outline

1 About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)

2 BEC Production

3 Evaporative Cooling

4 Absorption Imaging

5 Interference Between Two Bose Condensates

6 Summary
Zeeman-Slowing

I reduces velocity & temperature by Laser-cooling

BEC Production Zeeman-Slowing 9 / 28

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Zeeman-Slowing

I reduces velocity & temperature by Laser-cooling

I provides high flux (1012 slow atoms per second) which enables more than 1010 atoms
to be loaded into the MOT in one or two seconds

BEC Production Zeeman-Slowing 9 / 28

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Zeeman-Slowing

I reduces velocity & temperature by Laser-cooling

I provides high flux (1012 slow atoms per second) which enables more than 1010 atoms
to be loaded into the MOT in one or two seconds
I Zeeman-slowed Sodium beam has velocity of 30 m/s corresponding to kinetic energy
of 1 K

BEC Production Zeeman-Slowing 9 / 28

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Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT)

I S. Chu, C. Cohen-Tannoudji & W. D. Phillips

received the Nobel Prize of Physics for development of methods to
cool and trap atoms with laser light in 1997

BEC Production Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT) 10 / 28

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Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT)

I S. Chu, C. Cohen-Tannoudji & W. D. Phillips

received the Nobel Prize of Physics for development of methods to
cool and trap atoms with laser light in 1997
I Cooling in optical molasses

BEC Production Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT) 10 / 28

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Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT)

I S. Chu, C. Cohen-Tannoudji & W. D. Phillips

received the Nobel Prize of Physics for development of methods to
cool and trap atoms with laser light in 1997
I Cooling in optical molasses
I Reduces temperature to 1 mK or below

BEC Production Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT) 10 / 28

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Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT)

I S. Chu, C. Cohen-Tannoudji & W. D. Phillips

received the Nobel Prize of Physics for development of methods to
cool and trap atoms with laser light in 1997
I Cooling in optical molasses
I Reduces temperature to 1 mK or below
I Zeeman slowed atoms are confined and compressed to higher
densities (1010 - 1012 cm−3 )

BEC Production Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT) 10 / 28

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Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT)

I S. Chu, C. Cohen-Tannoudji & W. D. Phillips

received the Nobel Prize of Physics for development of methods to
cool and trap atoms with laser light in 1997
I Cooling in optical molasses
I Reduces temperature to 1 mK or below
I Zeeman slowed atoms are confined and compressed to higher
densities (1010 - 1012 cm−3 )
I Provides phase-space density D ≈ 10−7 : still too low for phase
transitions

BEC Production Magneto-Optical-Trap (MOT) 10 / 28

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Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling)

I Technique already present in the center of the MOT

BEC Production Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling) 11 / 28

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Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling)

I Technique already present in the center of the MOT

I Colder temperatures reached by switching off the MOT’s magnetic coils and adding
short cycle (few ms) of optimized Polarization-Gradient Cooling

BEC Production Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling) 11 / 28

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Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling)

I Technique already present in the center of the MOT

I Colder temperatures reached by switching off the MOT’s magnetic coils and adding
short cycle (few ms) of optimized Polarization-Gradient Cooling
I I.e. for sodium temperatures between 50 µK and 100 µK

BEC Production Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling) 11 / 28

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Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling)

I Technique already present in the center of the MOT

I Colder temperatures reached by switching off the MOT’s magnetic coils and adding
short cycle (few ms) of optimized Polarization-Gradient Cooling
I I.e. for sodium temperatures between 50 µK and 100 µK
I Provides phase-space density D ≈ 10−6 : still too low for phase transitions

BEC Production Polarization-Gradient Cooling (Sisyphus-cooling) 11 / 28

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Magnetic Trapping

I Magnetic Trapping of neutral atoms first observed in 1985

BEC Production Magnetic Trapping 12 / 28

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Magnetic Trapping

I Magnetic Trapping of neutral atoms first observed in 1985

I Major role: Accomodate pre-cooled atoms and compress them ⇒ high collision rates
and evaporative cooling

BEC Production Magnetic Trapping 12 / 28

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Magnetic Trapping

I Magnetic Trapping of neutral atoms first observed in 1985

I Major role: Accomodate pre-cooled atoms and compress them ⇒ high collision rates
and evaporative cooling
I Atoms trapped by interactions of magnetic dipole with external magnetic field
Energy levels in a magnetic field E (mF ) = g µB mF B

BEC Production Magnetic Trapping 12 / 28

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Magnetic Trapping

I Magnetic Trapping of neutral atoms first observed in 1985

I Major role: Accomodate pre-cooled atoms and compress them ⇒ high collision rates
and evaporative cooling
I Atoms trapped by interactions of magnetic dipole with external magnetic field
Energy levels in a magnetic field E (mF ) = g µB mF B
I Maxwell ⇒ only confines weak-field seeker

BEC Production Magnetic Trapping 12 / 28

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Magnetic Trapping

I Magnetic Trapping of neutral atoms first observed in 1985

I Major role: Accomodate pre-cooled atoms and compress them ⇒ high collision rates
and evaporative cooling
I Atoms trapped by interactions of magnetic dipole with external magnetic field
Energy levels in a magnetic field E (mF ) = g µB mF B
I Maxwell ⇒ only confines weak-field seeker
I Excellent tool for evaporative cooling

BEC Production Magnetic Trapping 12 / 28

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Outline

1 About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)

2 BEC Production

3 Evaporative Cooling

4 Absorption Imaging

5 Interference Between Two Bose Condensates

6 Summary
Concepts and History

I Continously removing trapped high-energy atoms to

reach TC

Evaporative Cooling Concepts and History 14 / 28

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Concepts and History

I Continously removing trapped high-energy atoms to

reach TC
I Evaporated atoms carry away more than average
energy ⇒ temperature decreases

Evaporative Cooling Concepts and History 14 / 28

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Concepts and History

I Continously removing trapped high-energy atoms to

reach TC
I Evaporated atoms carry away more than average
energy ⇒ temperature decreases
I Suggested by H. Hess in 1985 with trapped atomic
hydrogen

Evaporative Cooling Concepts and History 14 / 28

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Concepts and History

I Continously removing trapped high-energy atoms to

reach TC
I Evaporated atoms carry away more than average
energy ⇒ temperature decreases
I Suggested by H. Hess in 1985 with trapped atomic
hydrogen
I Technique was extended to alkali atoms in 1994 by
combining Evaporative Cooling with Laser Cooling

Evaporative Cooling Concepts and History 14 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

RF-Field

Distance to
trap center

I Radio frequented (RF) radiation flips atomic spin ⇒ attractive trapping force turns
into repulsive force and expels atoms from trap

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 15 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

RF-Field

Distance to
trap center

I Radio frequented (RF) radiation flips atomic spin ⇒ attractive trapping force turns
into repulsive force and expels atoms from trap
I Energy selective ⇒ only atoms with E > h|mF |(ωRF − ω0 )
with rf frequenzy ω0 which induces spinflips at the bottom of the trap

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 15 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

RF-Field

Distance to
trap center

I Radio frequented (RF) radiation flips atomic spin ⇒ attractive trapping force turns
into repulsive force and expels atoms from trap
I Energy selective ⇒ only atoms with E > h|mF |(ωRF − ω0 )
with rf frequenzy ω0 which induces spinflips at the bottom of the trap
I Other atoms rethermalyze

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 15 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

RF-Field

Distance to
trap center

I Radio frequented (RF) radiation flips atomic spin ⇒ attractive trapping force turns
into repulsive force and expels atoms from trap
I Energy selective ⇒ only atoms with E > h|mF |(ωRF − ω0 )
with rf frequenzy ω0 which induces spinflips at the bottom of the trap
I Other atoms rethermalyze
I Advantage: No need to weaken trapping potential in order to lower depth.
Atoms evaporate from whole surface where RF resonance condition is fullfilled ⇒ 3D
in velocity space
Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 15 / 28
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RF Induced Evaporation

I Rethermalization: Scattering processes lead to new distribution

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 16 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Rethermalization: Scattering processes lead to new distribution

I Favorable ratio between elastic collision rate (provides Evaporative Cooling) and
inelastic collision rate (leads to trap loss and heating) required

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 16 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Rethermalization: Scattering processes lead to new distribution

I Favorable ratio between elastic collision rate (provides Evaporative Cooling) and
inelastic collision rate (leads to trap loss and heating) required
I Provides phase-space density D > 2.612

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 16 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Horizontal sections taken through center of velocity

distribution

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 17 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Horizontal sections taken through center of velocity

distribution
I Lower values show appearance of condensate fraction

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 17 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Horizontal sections taken through center of velocity

distribution
I Lower values show appearance of condensate fraction
I Above 4.23 MHz: single Gaussian-like distribution

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 17 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Horizontal sections taken through center of velocity

distribution
I Lower values show appearance of condensate fraction
I Above 4.23 MHz: single Gaussian-like distribution
I At 4.23 MHz: sharp central peak appears

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 17 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Horizontal sections taken through center of velocity

distribution
I Lower values show appearance of condensate fraction
I Above 4.23 MHz: single Gaussian-like distribution
I At 4.23 MHz: sharp central peak appears
I Below 4.23 MHz: broad curve & narrow central peak; the
noncondensate & condensate fraction

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 17 / 28

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RF Induced Evaporation

I Horizontal sections taken through center of velocity

distribution
I Lower values show appearance of condensate fraction
I Above 4.23 MHz: single Gaussian-like distribution
I At 4.23 MHz: sharp central peak appears
I Below 4.23 MHz: broad curve & narrow central peak; the
noncondensate & condensate fraction
I At 4.1 MHz: just little remains of noncondensate fraction

Evaporative Cooling RF Induced Evaporation 17 / 28

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Outline

1 About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)

2 BEC Production

3 Evaporative Cooling

4 Absorption Imaging

5 Interference Between Two Bose Condensates

6 Summary
Absorption Imaging

I Switching off trap ⇒ condensate falling down (gravity) and ballistically expands

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 19 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I Switching off trap ⇒ condensate falling down (gravity) and ballistically expands
I Illuminating atoms with nearly resonant laser beam and imaging shadow cast on
charge-coupled device camera (CCD-camera)

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 19 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I Switching off trap ⇒ condensate falling down (gravity) and ballistically expands
I Illuminating atoms with nearly resonant laser beam and imaging shadow cast on
charge-coupled device camera (CCD-camera)
I Cloud heats up by absorbing photons (about one recoil energy per photon)

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 19 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I Switching off trap ⇒ condensate falling down (gravity) and ballistically expands
I Illuminating atoms with nearly resonant laser beam and imaging shadow cast on
charge-coupled device camera (CCD-camera)
I Cloud heats up by absorbing photons (about one recoil energy per photon)
I Single destructive image

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 19 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I Switching off trap ⇒ condensate falling down (gravity) and ballistically expands
I Illuminating atoms with nearly resonant laser beam and imaging shadow cast on
charge-coupled device camera (CCD-camera)
I Cloud heats up by absorbing photons (about one recoil energy per photon)
I Single destructive image
I Provides reliable density distributions of which properties of condensates and
thermal clouds can be inferred

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 19 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I 2D probe absorption images after 6 ms time of flight

Width of images is 870 µm

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 20 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I 2D probe absorption images after 6 ms time of flight

Width of images is 870 µm
I Velocity distribution of cloud just above transition point

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 20 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I 2D probe absorption images after 6 ms time of flight

Width of images is 870 µm
I Velocity distribution of cloud just above transition point
I Shows difference between isotropic thermal distribution and elliptical core attributed
to expansion of dense condensate

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 20 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

I 2D probe absorption images after 6 ms time of flight

Width of images is 870 µm
I Velocity distribution of cloud just above transition point
I Shows difference between isotropic thermal distribution and elliptical core attributed
to expansion of dense condensate
I Almost pure condensate (after further evaporative cooling)

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 20 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

87
I Produced in vapor of Rb atoms

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 21 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

87
I Produced in vapor of Rb atoms
I Fraction of condensed atoms first appear near T =170 nK & n = 2.5 · 1012 cm−3
Could be preserved for more than 15 seconds

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 21 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

87
I Produced in vapor of Rb atoms
I Fraction of condensed atoms first appear near T =170 nK & n = 2.5 · 1012 cm−3
Could be preserved for more than 15 seconds
I BEC on top of broad thermal velocity

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 21 / 28

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Absorption Imaging

87
I Produced in vapor of Rb atoms
I Fraction of condensed atoms first appear near T =170 nK & n = 2.5 · 1012 cm−3
Could be preserved for more than 15 seconds
I BEC on top of broad thermal velocity
I Fraction of atoms that were in this low-velocity peak increases abruptly

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 21 / 28

c Stefan Kienzle
Absorption Imaging

87
I Produced in vapor of Rb atoms
I Fraction of condensed atoms first appear near T =170 nK & n = 2.5 · 1012 cm−3
Could be preserved for more than 15 seconds
I BEC on top of broad thermal velocity
I Fraction of atoms that were in this low-velocity peak increases abruptly
I Nonthermal, anisotropic velocity distribution expected of minimum-energy quantum
state of magnetic trap

Absorption Imaging Absorption Imaging 21 / 28

c Stefan Kienzle
Outline

1 About Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC)

2 BEC Production

3 Evaporative Cooling

4 Absorption Imaging

5 Interference Between Two Bose Condensates

6 Summary
Interference

I Evidence for coherence of BEC’s

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 23 / 28
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Interference

I Evidence for coherence of BEC’s

I Cut atom trap in half (double-well potential) by
focusing far-off-resonant laser light into center of
magnetic trap

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 23 / 28
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Interference

I Evidence for coherence of BEC’s

I Cut atom trap in half (double-well potential) by
focusing far-off-resonant laser light into center of
magnetic trap
I Cool atoms in these two halves to form two
independent condensates

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 23 / 28
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Interference

I Evidence for coherence of BEC’s

I Cut atom trap in half (double-well potential) by
focusing far-off-resonant laser light into center of
magnetic trap
I Cool atoms in these two halves to form two
independent condensates
I Quickly turn off laser and magnetic fields, allowing
atoms to fall and expand freely

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 23 / 28
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Interference

I Evidence for coherence of BEC’s

I Cut atom trap in half (double-well potential) by
focusing far-off-resonant laser light into center of
magnetic trap
I Cool atoms in these two halves to form two
independent condensates
I Quickly turn off laser and magnetic fields, allowing
atoms to fall and expand freely
I Both condensates start to overlap and interfere with
each other

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 23 / 28
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Interference

I Interference pattern of two expanding condensates after 40 ms time of flight for 2

different powers of Argon-ion laser light (3 & 5 mW)

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 24 / 28
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Interference

I Interference pattern of two expanding condensates after 40 ms time of flight for 2

different powers of Argon-ion laser light (3 & 5 mW)
I Fringe periods 20 & 15 µm

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 24 / 28
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Interference

I Interference pattern of two expanding condensates after 40 ms time of flight for 2

different powers of Argon-ion laser light (3 & 5 mW)
I Fringe periods 20 & 15 µm
I Fields of view: horizontally: 1.1 mm
vertically: 0.5 mm

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 24 / 28
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Interference Drop Tower

I Recent experiment: drop tower (Center of Applied Space

Technology and Microgravity ’ZARM’ Bremen)

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 25 / 28
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Interference Drop Tower

I Recent experiment: drop tower (Center of Applied Space

Technology and Microgravity ’ZARM’ Bremen)
I Height: 146 m (outside); 120 m (inside)
Delivers 4.74 s of near weightlessness

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 25 / 28
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Interference Drop Tower

I Recent experiment: drop tower (Center of Applied Space

Technology and Microgravity ’ZARM’ Bremen)
I Height: 146 m (outside); 120 m (inside)
Delivers 4.74 s of near weightlessness
I Capturing cold atoms in magneto-optical trap (MOT)

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 25 / 28
c Stefan Kienzle
Interference Drop Tower

I Recent experiment: drop tower (Center of Applied Space

Technology and Microgravity ’ZARM’ Bremen)
I Height: 146 m (outside); 120 m (inside)
Delivers 4.74 s of near weightlessness
I Capturing cold atoms in magneto-optical trap (MOT)
I Loading Ioffe-Pritchard trap, creating BEC consisting of
104 87 Rb atoms

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 25 / 28
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Interference Drop Tower

I Evolution of BEC and asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer (AMZI) visualized

by series of absorption images of atomic densities separated by 1 ms

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 26 / 28
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Interference Drop Tower

I Evolution of BEC and asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer (AMZI) visualized

by series of absorption images of atomic densities separated by 1 ms
I Interferometer starts at time t0 after release of BEC

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 26 / 28
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Interference Drop Tower

I Evolution of BEC and asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer (AMZI) visualized

by series of absorption images of atomic densities separated by 1 ms
I Interferometer starts at time t0 after release of BEC
I Two counter-propagating light beams of frequencies ω and ω + δ creates coherent
superposition of two wave packets that drift apart, redirects and partially recombines
them

Interference Between Two Bose Condensates Interference Between Two Bose Condensates 26 / 28
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Summary

I BEC is a state of matter in which all atoms occupy the ground state

Summary 27 / 28
c Stefan Kienzle
Summary

I BEC is a state of matter in which all atoms occupy the ground state
I Phase transistions for D > 2.612

Summary 27 / 28
c Stefan Kienzle
Summary

I BEC is a state of matter in which all atoms occupy the ground state
I Phase transistions for D > 2.612
I Condensate has anisotropic density distribution

Summary 27 / 28
c Stefan Kienzle
Summary

I BEC is a state of matter in which all atoms occupy the ground state
I Phase transistions for D > 2.612
I Condensate has anisotropic density distribution
I Interference between two condensates is evidence for coherence of BEC’s

Summary 27 / 28
c Stefan Kienzle
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