Darmstadt 2008 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 45: Materiewellenoptik

Q 45.1: Talk

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 14:00–14:15, 3G

Matter wave interferometry on potassium molecules — •Sha Liu, Ivan Sherstov, Horst Knöckel, Christian Lisdat, and Eberhard Tiemann — Institut für Qantenoptik, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Deutschland

We operate a matter wave interferometer on K₂ molecules in a Ramsey-Bordé configuration. The two exits of this interferometer with molecules in either the excited state or the ground state, give complementary detection schemes for the interference signal. Under certain geometric conditions, observed interference signal is composed of two interference patterns, the Ramsey interference formed by two laser beam splitters, the Ramsey-Bordé interference pattern with four laser beam splitters. These two interference patterns can be separated in frequency domain. For a better understanding, we observe Ramsey fringe alone directly and analyze the contrast dependence on the transversal velocity distribution. The Ramsey-Bordé interferometer will be used in further applications, thanks to its higher phase stability compared to the Ramsey interference. By introducing a near resonant laser field to the molecules in either the excited state or the ground state between the beam splitters, the transition matrix element can be determined. Furthermore, by changing the collision characteristics of the K atoms in the K₂ molecular beam, the collision between potassium atoms and molecules can be investigated. The density of K atoms is varied by deflecting atoms through resonant laser field out of the molecular beam. The actual status of the experiment will be presented.