Gravitational Caustics in an Atom Laser
arXiv:2104.13535 · doi:10.1038/s41467-021-27555-3
Abstract
Typically discussed in the context of optics, caustics are envelopes of classical trajectories (rays) where the density of states diverges, resulting in pronounced observable features such as bright points, curves, and extended networks of patterns. Here, we generate caustics in the matter waves of an atom laser, providing a striking experimental example of catastrophe theory applied to atom optics in an accelerated (gravitational) reference frame. We showcase caustics formed by individual attractive and repulsive potentials, and present an example of a network generated by multiple potentials. Exploiting internal atomic states, we demonstrate fluid-flow tracing as another tool of this flexible experimental platform. The effective gravity experienced by the atoms can be tuned with magnetic gradients, forming caustics analogous to those produced by gravitational lensing. From a more applied point of view, atom optics affords perspectives for metrology, atom interferometry, and nanofabrication. Caustics in this context may lead to quantum innovations as they are an inherently robust way of manipulating matter waves.
arXiv comment10 pages, 6 figures. Updated to reflect published version
References in corpus (28)
- Atom Interferometers
- An Atom Laser with a cw Output Coupler
- Magic-zero wavelengths of alkali-metal atoms and their applications
- Optics with an Atom Laser Beam
- Beam quality of a non-ideal atom laser
- Atom laser divergence
- Output of a pulsed atom laser
- Observing the Profile of an Atom Laser Beam
- Quantum and Classical Dynamics of a BEC in a Large-Period Optical Lattice
- Output from an atom laser: theory vs. experiment
- Theoretical tools for atom laser beam propagation
- On the transverse mode of an atom laser
- Stability of continuously pumped atom lasers
- Quantum catastrophes and ergodicity in the dynamics of bosonic Josephson junctions
- Demonstration of fold and cusp catastrophes in an atomic cloud reflected from an optical barrier in the presence of gravity
- Investigations of a two-mode atom laser model
- Dynamical diffraction in sinusoidal potentials: uniform approximations for Mathieu functions
- Observation of Caustics in the Trajectories of Cold Atoms in a Linear Magnetic Potential
- Quantum spin dynamics in Fock space following quenches: Caustics and vortices
- Catastrophes in non-equilibrium many-particle wave functions: universality and critical scaling
- Bogoliubov-Cherenkov Radiation in an Atom Laser
- Atom Nanooptics Based on Photon Dots and Photon Holes
- Semi-classical scattering in two dimensions
- Caustic formation in expanding condensates of cold atoms
- Diffraction catastrophes threaded by quantized vortex skeletons caused by atom-optical aberrations induced in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates
- The Theory of Atom Lasers
- Scattering of quantum wave packets by shallow potential islands: A quantum lens
- Coherence time of a cold-atom laser below threshold