Atom Laser Divergence

Y. Le Coq, J. H. Thywissen, S. A. Rangwala, F. Gerbier, S. Richard, G. Delannoy, P. Bouyer, and A. Aspect
Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 170403 – Published 8 October 2001
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Abstract

We measure the angular divergence of a quasicontinuous, rf-outcoupled, free-falling atom laser as a function of the outcoupling frequency. The data are compared to a Gaussian-beam model of laser propagation that generalizes the standard formalism of photonic lasers. Our treatment includes diffraction, magnetic lensing, and interaction between the atom laser and the condensate. We find that the dominant source of divergence is the condensate-laser interaction.

  • Received 28 June 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.170403

©2001 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Y. Le Coq, J. H. Thywissen, S. A. Rangwala, F. Gerbier, S. Richard, G. Delannoy, P. Bouyer, and A. Aspect*

  • Laboratoire Charles-Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, UMRA 8501 du CNRS, 91403 Orsay, France

  • *Electronic address: http://atomoptic.iota.u-psud.fr

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Vol. 87, Iss. 17 — 22 October 2001

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