We demonstrate detection of a weak alternate-current magnetic field by application of the spin echo technique to F = 2 Bose-Einstein condensates. A magnetic field sensitivity of 12 pT/Hz^1/2 is attained with the atom number of 5*10^3 at spatial resolution of 99 mu m^2. Our observations indicate magnetic field fluctuations synchronous with the power supply line frequency. We show that this noise is greatly suppressed by application of a reverse phase magnetic field. Our technique is useful in order to create a stable magnetic field environment, which is an important requirement for atomic experiments which require a weak bias magnetic field.
Atom interferometers covering macroscopic domains of space-time are a spectacular manifestation of the wave nature of matter. Due to their unique coherence properties, Bose-Einstein condensates are ideal sources for an atom interferometer in extended free fall. In this paper we report on the realization of an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer operated with a Bose-Einstein condensate in microgravity. The resulting interference pattern is similar to the one in the far-field of a double-slit and shows a linear scaling with the time the wave packets expand. We employ delta-kick cooling in order to enhance the signal and extend our atom interferometer. Our experiments demonstrate the high potential of interferometers operated with quantum gases for probing the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics and general relativity.
We analytically and numerically investigate the ground state of the spin-orbit coupled spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates in an external parabolic potential. When the spin-orbit coupling strength $kappa$ is comparable with that of the trapping potential, the density distribution centers of different components of the spinor condensate deviate evidently from the trap center in the plane wave and stripe phases. When $kappagg1$, the magnitude of this deviation decreases as $kappa$ is getting larger and larger. Correspondingly, periphery half-skyrmions textures arise. This deviation can be reflected by the non-uniform magnetic moment in the $z$ direction, $mathcal{F}_z$. With the manipulation of the external trap, the local magnitude of $mathcal{F}_z$ can be increased evidently. This kind of increase of $mathcal{F}_z$ is also observed in the square vortex lattice phase of the condensate.
We present a novel approach for the optical manipulation of neutral atoms in annular light structures produced by the phenomenon of conical refraction occurring in biaxial optical crystals. For a beam focused to a plane behind the crystal, the focal plane exhibits two concentric bright rings enclosing a ring of null intensity called the Poggendorff ring. We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that the Poggendorff dark ring of conical refraction is confined in three dimensions by regions of higher intensity. We derive the positions of the confining intensity maxima and minima and discuss the application of the Poggendorff ring for trapping ultra-cold atoms using the repulsive dipole force of blue-detuned light. We give analytical expressions for the trapping frequencies and potential depths along both the radial and the axial directions. Finally, we present realistic numerical simulations of the dynamics of a $^{87}$Rb Bose-Einstein condensate trapped inside the Poggendorff ring which are in good agreement with corresponding experimental results.
The understanding of disordered quantum systems is still far from being complete, despite many decades of research on a variety of physical systems. In this review we discuss how Bose-Einstein condensates of ultracold atoms in disordered potentials have opened a new window for studying fundamental phenomena related to disorder. In particular, we point our attention to recent experimental studies on Anderson localization and on the interplay of disorder and weak interactions. These realize a very promising starting point for a deeper understanding of the complex behaviour of interacting, disordered systems.
Recent experiments have demonstrated the generation of entanglement by quasi-adiabatically driving through quantum phase transitions of a ferromagnetic spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of a tunable quadratic Zeeman shift. We analyze, in terms of the Fisher information, the interferometric value of the entanglement accessible by this approach. In addition to the Twin-Fock phase studied experimentally, we unveil a second regime, in the broken axisymmetry phase, which provides Heisenberg scaling of the quantum Fisher information and can be reached on shorter time scales. We identify optimal unitary transformations and an experimentally feasible optimal measurement prescription that maximize the interferometric sensitivity. We further ascertain that the Fisher information is robust with respect to non-adiabaticity and measurement noise. Finally, we show that the quasi-adiabatic entanglement preparation schemes admit higher sensitivities than dynamical methods based on fast quenches.