Wave-packet analysis of interference patterns in output coupled atoms

TL;DR

This paper models the interference patterns of atoms output-coupled from a magnetic trap into a gravitational potential using a wave-packet approach, linking classical field interference to atomic stream interference.

Contribution

It introduces a one-dimensional wave-packet model with continuous spectrum analysis for atom output coupling in a gravitational field.

Findings

Interference of classical fields maps to atomic stream interference

Wave-packet model captures continuous spectrum of eigenstates

Provides insight into atom interference patterns in gravitational potential

Abstract

We study the output coupling of atoms from a magnetic trap into a linear potential slope of gravity using a weak radio-frequency field. We present a one-dimensional wave-packet model based on a continuous loading of a continuous spectrum of generalised eigenstates to describe the scenario. Analyzing the model, we show how the interference of the classical coupling fields maps to the interference of the resulting atomic streams.