An atomic Fabry-Perot interferometer using a pulsed interacting Bose-Einstein condensate.

We numerically demonstrate atomic Fabry-Perot resonances for a pulsed interacting Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) source transmitting through double Gaussian barriers. These resonances are observable for an experimentally-feasible parameter choice, which we determined using a previously-developed analytical model for a plane matter-wave incident on a double rectangular barrier system. Through numerical simulations using the non-polynomial Schödinger equation-an effective one-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation-we investigate the effect of atom number, scattering length, and BEC momentum width on the resonant transmission peaks. For [Formula: see text]Rb atomic sources with the current experimentally-achievable momentum width of [Formula: see text] [[Formula: see text]], we show that reasonably high contrast Fabry-Perot resonant transmission peaks can be observed using (a) non-interacting BECs, (b) interacting BECs of [Formula: see text] atoms with s-wave scattering lengths [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] is the Bohr radius), and (c) interacting BECs of [Formula: see text] atoms with [Formula: see text]. Our theoretical investigation impacts any future experimental realization of an atomic Fabry-Perot interferometer with an ultracold atomic source.

Erratum: Bright Solitonic Matter-Wave Interferometer [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 013002 (2014)].

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.013002.

The influence of leaf size and shape on leaf thermal dynamics: does theory hold up under natural conditions?

Laboratory studies on artificial leaves suggest that leaf thermal dynamics are strongly influenced by the two-dimensional size and shape of leaves and associated boundary layer thickness. Hot environments are therefore said to favour selection for small, narrow or dissected leaves. Empirical evidence from real leaves under field conditions is scant and traditionally based on point measurements that do not capture spatial variation in heat load. We used thermal imagery under field conditions to measure the leaf thermal time constant (τ) in summer and the leaf-to-air temperature difference (∆T) and temperature range across laminae (Trange ) during winter, autumn and summer for 68 Proteaceae species. We investigated the influence of leaf area and margin complexity relative to effective leaf width (we ), the latter being a more direct indicator of boundary layer thickness. Normalized difference of margin complexity had no or weak effects on thermal dynamics, but we strongly predicted τ and ∆T, whereas leaf area influenced Trange . Unlike artificial leaves, however, spatial temperature distribution in large leaves appeared to be governed largely by structural variation. Therefore, we agree that small size, specifically we , has adaptive value in hot environments but not with the idea that thermal regulation is the primary evolutionary driver of leaf dissection.

Non-destructive shadowgraph imaging of ultra-cold atoms.

An imaging system is presented that is capable of far-detuned non-destructive imaging of a Bose-Einstein condensate with the signal proportional to the second spatial derivative of the density. Whilst demonstrated with application to Rb85, the technique generalizes to other atomic species and is shown to be capable of a signal-to-noise of ∼25 at 1 GHz detuning with 100 in-trap images showing no observable heating or atom loss. The technique is also applied to the observation of individual trajectories of stochastic dynamics inaccessible to single shot imaging. Coupled with a fast optical phase locked loop, the system is capable of dynamically switching to resonant absorption imaging during the experiment.

Simultaneous Precision Gravimetry and Magnetic Gradiometry with a Bose-Einstein Condensate: A High Precision, Quantum Sensor.

A Bose-Einstein condensate is used as an atomic source for a high precision sensor. A 5×10^{6} atom F=1 spinor condensate of ^{87}Rb is released into free fall for up to 750 ms and probed with a T=130 ms Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer based on Bragg transitions. The Bragg interferometer simultaneously addresses the three magnetic states |m_{f}=1,0,-1⟩, facilitating a simultaneous measurement of the acceleration due to gravity with a 1000 run precision of Δg/g=1.45×10^{-9} and the magnetic field gradient to a precision of 120 pT/m.

Bright solitonic matter-wave interferometer.

We present the first realization of a solitonic atom interferometer. A Bose-Einstein condensate of 1×10(4) atoms of rubidium-85 is loaded into a horizontal optical waveguide. Through the use of a Feshbach resonance, the s-wave scattering length of the 85Rb atoms is tuned to a small negative value. This attractive atomic interaction then balances the inherent matter-wave dispersion, creating a bright solitonic matter wave. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is constructed by driving Bragg transitions with the use of an optical lattice colinear with the waveguide. Matter-wave propagation and interferometric fringe visibility are compared across a range of s-wave scattering values including repulsive, attractive and noninteracting values. The solitonic matter wave is found to significantly increase fringe visibility even compared with a noninteracting cloud.

11 W narrow linewidth laser source at 780 nm for laser cooling and manipulation of Rubidium.

We present a narrow linewidth continuous laser source with over 11 W output power at 780 nm, based on single-pass frequency doubling of an amplified 1560 nm fibre laser with 36% efficiency. This source offers a combination of high power, simplicity, mode quality and stability. Without any active stabilization, the linewidth is measured to be below 10 kHz. The fibre seed is tunable over 60 GHz, which allows access to the D2 transitions in 87Rb and 85Rb, providing a viable high-power source for laser cooling as well as for large-momentum-transfer beamsplitters in atom interferometry. Sources of this type will pave the way for a new generation of high flux, high duty-cycle degenerate quantum gas experiments.

Do thick leaves avoid thermal damage in critically low wind speeds?

Transient lulls in air movement are rarely measured, but can cause leaf temperature to rise rapidly to critical levels. The high heat capacity of thick leaves can damp this rapid change in temperature. However, little is known about the extent to which increased leaf thickness can reduce thermal damage, or how thick leaves would need to be to have biological significance. We evaluated quantitatively the contribution of small increases in leaf thickness to the reduction in thermal damage during critically low wind speeds under desert conditions. We employed a numerical model to investigate the effect of thickness relative to transpiration, absorptance and leaf size on damage avoidance. We used measured traits and thermotolerance thresholds of real leaves to calculate the leaf temperature response to naturally occurring variable low wind speed. Our results demonstrated that an increase in thickness of only fractions of a millimetre can prevent excursions to damaging high temperatures. This damping effect of increased thickness was greatest when other means of reducing leaf temperature (transpiration, reflectance or reduced size) were lacking. For perennial desert flora, we propose that increased leaf thickness is important in decreasing the incidence of extreme heat stress and, in some species, in enhancing long-term survival.

85Rb tunable-interaction Bose-Einstein condensate machine.

We describe our experimental setup for creating stable Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) of (85)Rb with tunable interparticle interactions. We use sympathetic cooling with (87)Rb in two stages, initially in a tight Ioffe-Pritchard magnetic trap and subsequently in a weak, large-volume, crossed optical dipole trap, using the 155 G Feshbach resonance to manipulate the elastic and inelastic scattering properties of the (85)Rb atoms. Typical (85)Rb condensates contain 4 x 10(4) atoms with a scattering length of a=+200a(0). Many aspects of the design presented here could be adapted to other dual-species BEC machines, including those involving degenerate Fermi-Bose mixtures. Our minimalist apparatus is well suited to experiments on dual-species and spinor Rb condensates, and has several simplifications over the (85)Rb BEC machine at JILA, which we discuss at the end of this article.

Ramsey interferometry with an atom laser.

We present results on a free-space atom interferometer operating on the first order magnetically insensitive |F = 1,mF = 0) --> |F = 2,mF = 0) ground state transition of Bose-condensed (87)Rb atoms. A pulsed atom laser is output-coupled from a Bose-Einstein condensate and propagates through a sequence of two internal state beam splitters, realized via coherent Raman transitions between the two interfering states. We observe Ramsey fringes with a visibility close to 100% and determine the current and the potentially achievable interferometric phase sensitivity. This system is well suited to testing recent proposals for generating and detecting squeezed atomic states.

Coherent 455 nm beam production in a cesium vapor.

We observe coherent, cw, 455 nm blue-beam production via frequency upconversion in cesium vapor. Two IR lasers induce strong double excitation in a heated cesium vapor cell, allowing the atoms to undergo a double cascade and produce a coherent, collimated, blue beam copropagating with the two IR pump lasers.

A two-state Raman coupler for coherent atom optics.

We present results on a Raman laser-system that resonantly drives a closed two-photon transition between two levels in different hyperfine ground states of (87)Rb. The coupler is based on a novel optical design for producing two phase-coherent optical beams to drive a Raman transition. Operated as an outcoupler, it produces an atom laser in a single internal atomic state, with the lower divergence and increased brightness typical of a Raman outcoupler. Due to the optical nature of the outcoupling, the two-state outcoupler is an ideal candidate for transferring photon correlations onto atom-laser beams. As our laser system couples just two hyperfine ground states, it has also been used as an internal state beamsplitter, taking the next major step towards free space Ramsey interferometry with an atom laser.

Piezo-locking a diode laser with saturated absorption spectroscopy.

We demonstrate modulation-based frequency locking of an external cavity diode laser, utilizing a piezo-electrically actuated mirror, external to the laser cavity, to create an error signal from saturated absorption spectroscopy. With this method, a laser stabilized to a rubidium hyperfine transition has a FWHM of 130 kHz over seconds, making the locked laser suitable for experiments in atomic physics, such as creating and manipulating Bose-Einstein condensates. This technique combines the advantages of low-amplitude modulation, simplicity, performance, and price, factors that are usually considered to be mutually exclusive.

Probing a Bose-Einstein condensate with an atom laser.

A pulsed atom laser derived from a Bose-Einstein condensate is used to probe a second target condensate. The target condensate scatters the incident atom laser pulse. From the spatial distribution of scattered atoms, one can infer important properties of the target condensate and its interaction with the probe pulse. As an example, we measure the s-wave scattering length that, in low energy collisions, describes the interaction between the |F = 1,m(F) = -1) and |F = 2,m(F) = 0) hyperfine ground states in (87)Rb.

Achieving peak brightness in an atom laser.

In this Letter we present experimental results and a simple analytic theory on the first continuous (long pulse) Raman atom laser. We analyze the flux and brightness of a generic two state atom laser with an analytic model that shows excellent agreement with our experiments. We show that, for the same source size, the brightness achievable with a Raman atom laser is at least 3 orders of magnitude greater than achievable in any other demonstrated continuously outcoupled atom laser.

Limit to minimally destructive optical detection of atoms.

All optical techniques used to probe the properties of Bose-Einstein condensates have been based on dispersion and absorption that can be described by a two-level atom. Both phenomena lead to spontaneous emission that is destructive at the low energies involved with ultracold atomic systems. Recently, both were shown to lead to the same limit to the signal to noise ratio for a given destruction. We develop a new method for calculating the phase shift of a laser beam and show that no single-pass optical technique using classical light and a three-level atom can exceed this limit. This puts significant restrictions on potential nondestructive measurement schemes.

Interferometric, modulation-free laser stabilization.

We demonstrate novel modulation-free frequency locking of a diode laser, utilizing a simple Sagnac interferometer to create an error signal from saturated-absorption spectroscopy. The interference condition at the output of the Sagnac is strongly affected by the sharp dispersion feature near an atomic resonance. Slight misalignment of the interferometer and subsequent spatially selective, or tilt, detection allows this phase change to be converted into an error signal. Tilt locking has significant advantages over previously described methods, as it requires only a small number of low-cost optical components and a detector. In addition, the system has the potential to be constructed as a plug-and-play fiber-coupled monolithic device to provide submegahertz stability for lasers in the commercial market.