Dephasing due to atom-atom interaction in a waveguide interferometer using a Bose-Einstein condensate

Journal Article · Fri Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.74.031602· OSTI ID:20857640

Horikoshi, Munekazu; Nakagawa, Ken'ichi ^[1]

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1. Institute for Laser Science and CREST, University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu 182-8585 (Japan)

A Mach-Zehnder-type atom interferometer with a Bose-Einstein condensate has been investigated on an atom chip by using optical Bragg diffraction. A phase shift and a contrast degradation, which depend on the atomic density and the trapping frequency of the magnetic-guide potential, have been observed. Also, the output wave packets were found to exhibit a spatial interference pattern. The atom-atom interaction and the guide potential induce the spatially inhomogeneous phase evolution of the wave packets in each arm of the interferometer. The observed contrast degradation can be quantitatively explained as a dephasing due to this inhomogeneous phase evolution.

• OSTI ID: 20857640
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 74, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.74.031602; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOMS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
BRAGG REFLECTION
DENSITY
INTERFERENCE
MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER
OPTICS
PHASE SHIFT
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
POTENTIALS
RUBIDIUM
TRAPPING
WAVE PACKETS
WAVEGUIDES