Title :
Phase of a Bose-Einstein condensate
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Connecticut Univ., Storrs, CT, USA
Abstract :
Summary form only given. According to the conventional argument, Bose-Einstein condensate (BEG) has a macroscopic wave function with a definite phase. This phase is analogous to the phase of laser light. Here we describe a novel theoretical approach to the study of phase, coherence, and potential of interference of a BEG. We consider a thought experiment in which two BECs are dropped on top of each other. We adapt the standard theory of photon counting to atom detection, and calculate the joint probability density for atom detection.
Keywords :
laser beams; light coherence; light interference; photon counting; probability; quantum statistical mechanics; Bose-Einstein condensate phase; atom detection; coherence; definite phase; joint probability density; laser light phase; macroscopic wave function; photon counting; thought experiment; Atom optics; Atomic beams; Coherence; Histograms; Interference; Java; Laser theory; Physics; Probability distribution; Wave functions;
Conference_Titel :
Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference, 1996. QELS '96., Summaries of Papers Presented at the
Conference_Location :
Anaheim, CA, USA
Print_ISBN :
1-55752-444-0
