Atom interferometry in a vertical optical lattice

by G. Modugno, E. de Mirandes, F. Ferlaino, H. Ott, G. Roati, M. Inguscio
Abstract:
We have studied the interference of degenerate quantum gases in a vertical optical lattice. The coherence of the atoms leads to an interference pattern when the atoms are released from the lattice. This has been shown for a Bose-Einstein condensate in early experiments. Here we demonstrate that also for fermions an interference pattern can be observed provided that the momentum distribution is smaller than the recoil momentum of the lattice. Special attention is given to the role of interactions which wash out the interference pattern for a condensate trapped in the lattice but do not affect a spin polarized Fermi gas, where collisions at ultra cold temperatures are forbidden. Comparing the interference of the two quantum gases we find a clear superiority of fermions for trapped atom interferometry.
Reference:
Atom interferometry in a vertical optical lattice,
G. Modugno, E. de Mirandes, F. Ferlaino, H. Ott, G. Roati, M. Inguscio,
Fortschritte der Physik, 52, 1173–1179, 2004.
Bibtex Entry:
@article {PROP200410187,
  title = {Atom interferometry in a vertical optical lattice},
  author = {Modugno, G. and de Mirandes, E. and Ferlaino, F. and Ott, H. and Roati, G. and Inguscio, M.},
  journal = {Fortschritte der Physik},
  volume = {52},
  number = {11-12},
  issn = {1521-3978},
  pages = {1173--1179},
  year = {2004},
  month = {Oct},
  abstract = {We have studied the interference of degenerate quantum gases in a vertical optical lattice. The coherence of the atoms leads to an interference pattern when the atoms are released from the lattice. This has been shown for a Bose-Einstein condensate in early experiments. Here we demonstrate that also for fermions an interference pattern can be observed provided that the momentum distribution is smaller than the recoil momentum of the lattice. Special attention is given to the role of interactions which wash out the interference pattern for a condensate trapped in the lattice but do not affect a spin polarized Fermi gas, where collisions at ultra cold temperatures are forbidden. Comparing the interference of the two quantum gases we find a clear superiority of fermions for trapped atom interferometry.},
  publisher = {WILEY-VCH Verlag},
  doi = {10.1002/prop.200410187},
  url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/prop.200410187},
  arXiv = {http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0411097}
}