Observation of Interference Between Two Bose Condensates
10.1126/science.275.5300.637
Crossref journal-article
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Science (221)
Abstract

Interference between two freely expanding Bose-Einstein condensates has been observed. Two condensates separated by ∼40 micrometers were created by evaporatively cooling sodium atoms in a double-well potential formed by magnetic and optical forces. High-contrast matter-wave interference fringes with a period of ∼15 micrometers were observed after switching off the potential and letting the condensates expand for 40 milliseconds and overlap. This demonstrates that Bose condensed atoms are “laser-like”; that is, they are coherent and show long-range correlations. These results have direct implications for the atom laser and the Josephson effect for atoms.

Bibliography

Andrews, M. R., Townsend, C. G., Miesner, H.-J., Durfee, D. S., Kurn, D. M., & Ketterle, W. (1997). Observation of Interference Between Two Bose Condensates. Science, 275(5300), 637–641.

Authors 6
  1. M. R. Andrews (first)
  2. C. G. Townsend (additional)
  3. H.-J. Miesner (additional)
  4. D. S. Durfee (additional)
  5. D. M. Kurn (additional)
  6. W. Ketterle (additional)
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  47. We thank M. Naraschewski and H. Wallis for enlightening discussions; their theoretical simulations (26) were helpful in selecting the final parameters for the experiment. We also thank M.-O. Mewes for essential contributions during the early phase of the experiment S. Inouye for experimental assistance and D. Kleppner and D. Pritchard for valuable discussions. Supported by the Office of Naval Research NSF Joint Services Electronics Program and the Packard Foundation. D.M.K. was supported by a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship C.G.T. by a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Science Fellowship and H.-J.M. by Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (NATO Science Fellowship).
Dates
Type When
Created 23 years, 1 month ago (July 27, 2002, 5:50 a.m.)
Deposited 1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 12, 2024, 11:05 p.m.)
Indexed 3 days, 1 hour ago (Aug. 30, 2025, 12:46 p.m.)
Issued 28 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 31, 1997)
Published 28 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 31, 1997)
Published Print 28 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 31, 1997)
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@article{Andrews_1997, title={Observation of Interference Between Two Bose Condensates}, volume={275}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.275.5300.637}, DOI={10.1126/science.275.5300.637}, number={5300}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Andrews, M. R. and Townsend, C. G. and Miesner, H.-J. and Durfee, D. S. and Kurn, D. M. and Ketterle, W.}, year={1997}, month=jan, pages={637–641} }