Hamburg 2009 – scientific programme

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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 15: Poster I

A 15.28: Poster

Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 16:30–19:00, VMP 9 Poster

Matter-wave interference on an atom chip — •Philipp Wicke, Shannon Whilock, Jan-Joris van Es, Aaldert van Amerongen, and Klaasjan van Druten — University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Atom chips are extremely versatile tools for trapping and manipulating quantum gases on a micrometer scale in close proximity to a surface. They can produce tightly confining magnetic potentials and provide unprecedented experimental access to novel low dimensional regimes [1]. Recently we have investigated radio frequency dressed potentials on atom chips, which provide even further control over the associated trapping potentials [2]. In general, the three-dimensional rf-dressed potential forms a connected pair of one-dimensional waveguides, used to coherently split a single Bose condensate in two parts and to observe matter wave interference upon overlap. We study the phase coherence of quasi-condensates from the resulting interference patterns, observed simultaneously in both the transverse and longitudinal directions. These experiments probe the dynamics of quantum-degenerate Bose gases in the one-dimensional regime. Possible future directions include fundamental studies of two-component quantum gases and soliton formation for two coupled condensates.

[1] van Amerongen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 090402 (2008)

[2] van Es et al., Phys. Rev. A 77, 063623 (2008)