Enhancing the area of a Raman atom interferometer using a versatile double-diffraction technique.

In this Letter, we demonstrate a new scheme for Raman transitions which realize a symmetric momentum-space splitting of 4 Planck's constant k, deflecting the atomic wave packets into the same internal state. Combining the advantages of Raman and Bragg diffraction, we achieve a three pulse state labeled an interferometer, intrinsically insensitive to the main systematics and applicable to all kinds of atomic sources. This splitting scheme can be extended to 4N Planck's constant k momentum transfer by a multipulse sequence and is implemented on a 8 Planck's constant k interferometer. We demonstrate the area enhancement by measuring inertial forces.

Self-sustained oscillations in a large magneto-optical trap.

We have observed self-sustained radial oscillations in a large magneto-optical trap, containing up to 10(10) Rb85 atoms. This instability is due to the competition between the confining force of the magneto-optical trap and the repulsive interaction associated with multiple scattering of light inside the cold atomic cloud. A simple analytical model allows us to formulate a criterion for the instability threshold, in fair agreement with our observations. This criterion shows that large numbers of trapped atoms N>10(9) are required to observe this unstable behavior.

High-Resolution Fourier Spectrometry of the (14)N(+)(2) Ion.

Rotational analyses of the B(2)Sigma(+)(u) --> X(2)Sigma(+)(g) system of the (14)N(+)(2) molecule have been extended to include the vibrational levels up to v' = 4. Spectral data from 20 bands obtained from high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometry of a hollow-cathode and a Pointolite lamp were included in the analysis. A global deperturbation yielded molecular parameters of the highly perturbed B(2)Sigma state and interaction parameters A(2)Pi(u) approximately B(2)Sigma(u) with a standard deviation of 0.011 cm(-1). Rotational term values of the B(2)Sigma(+) state were also determined. New perturbations in the B(2)Sigma(+) (v = 0) level have been observed at N approximately 85 and N approximately 96. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Autonomous design of artificial neural networks by Neurex.

Artificial neural networks (ANN) have been demonstrated to be increasingly more useful for complex problems difficult to solve with conventional methods. With their learning abilities, they avoid having to develop a mathematical model or acquiring the appropriate knowledge to solve a task. The difficulty now lies in the ANN design process. A lot of choices must be made to design an ANN, and there are no available design rules to make these choices directly for a particular problem. Therefore, the design for an ANN demands a certain number of iterations, mainly guided by the expertise and the intuition of the developer. To automate the ANN design process, we have developed Neurex, composed of an expert system and an ANN simulator. Neurex autonomously guides the iterative ANN design process. Its structure tries to reproduce the design steps done by a human expert in conceiving an ANN. As a whole, the Neurex structure serves as a framework to implement this expertise for different learning paradigms. This article presents the system's general characteristics and its use in designing ANN using the standard backpropagation learning law.

High-resolution Fourier spectrometry of N(2)(+).

A new perturbation analysis of the first negative system B(2)Σ(u)(+) ? X(2)Σ(g)(+) of the (14)N(2)(+) ion is performed based on spectra excited both at low and high temperatures by the use of either a hollow-cathode or a Pointolite lamp. Preliminary results are given for a deperturbation of the B(2)Σ(u)(+) (ν = 0, ν = 1) levels. Deperturbed molecular constants and parameters that describe the B(2)Σ(u)(+) ~ A(2)∏(u) interaction are derived.