Magnetic grating echoes from laser-cooled atoms

A. Kumarakrishnan, S. B. Cahn, U. Shim, T. Sleator

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    We have used two sets of orthogonally polarized traveling-wave pulses separated in time to establish and, subsequently, rephase a spatially periodic coherence grating between the magnetic sublevels of the [Formula Presented] ground state in a cloud of laser-cooled [Formula Presented] atoms. The rephasing results in a magnetic grating echo (MGE). We have used the shape of the signals to determine both transverse and longitudinal velocity distributions and to study the effects of magnetic fields. The amplitude of the MGE with counterpropagating pulses is modulated at the atomic recoil frequency, a consequence of matter wave interference.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)R3387-R3390
    JournalPhysical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
    Volume58
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 1998

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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