Adaptive reflection and focusing of Bose-Einstein condensates

Abstract

We report adjustable magnetic `bouncing' and focusing of a dilute ${}^{87}$Rb Bose gas. Both the condensate production and manipulation are realised using a particularly straight-forward apparatus. The bouncing region is comprised of approximately concentric ellipsoidal magnetic equipotentials with a centre that can be adjusted vertically. We extend, and discuss the limitations of, simple Thomas-Fermi and Monte-Carlo theoretical models for the bouncing, which at present find close agreement with the condensate's evolution. Very strong focusing has been inferred and the observation of atomic matter-wave diffraction should be possible. Prospects look bright for applications in matter-wave atom-optics, due to the very smooth nature of the mirror.

References in corpus (5)

• Evolution of a Bose-condensed gas under variations of the confining potential
• Coherent Evolution of Bouncing Bose-Einstein Condensates
• Optics with an Atom Laser Beam
• An adaptive inelastic magnetic mirror for Bose-Einstein condensates
• Specular reflection of matter waves from a rough mirror

Cited by in corpus (9)

• Beam quality of a non-ideal atom laser
• Theoretical tools for atom laser beam propagation
• Spatial interference from well-separated condensates
• Demonstration of fold and cusp catastrophes in an atomic cloud reflected from an optical barrier in the presence of gravity
• Single-impulse magnetic focusing of launched cold atoms
• Axicon Lens for Coherent Matter Waves
• Experimental single-impulse magnetic focusing of launched cold atoms
• Double-impulse magnetic focusing of launched cold atoms
• Transport of launched cold atoms with a laser guide and pulsed magnetic fields