Laser scattering by density fluctuations of ultra-cold atoms in a magneto-optical trap

TL;DR

This paper investigates laser scattering caused by density fluctuations in ultra-cold atomic gases within a magneto-optical trap, proposing a diagnostic method to analyze microscopic properties and atomic correlations.

Contribution

It derives a dynamical structure function for ultra-cold gases and suggests using collective laser scattering as a new diagnostic tool.

Findings

Derived an expression for the dynamical structure function.

Proposed laser scattering as a diagnostic for atomic correlations.

Analyzed the spectrum of density fluctuations in ultra-cold gases.

Abstract

We study the spectrum of density fluctuations in the ultra-cold gas of neutral atoms, confined in a magneto-optical trap. We determine the corresponding amplitude and spectra of laser light scattered by this medium. We derive an expression for the dynamical structure function, by using a test particle method. We propose to use the collective laser scattering as a diagnostic method for the microscopic properties of the ultra-cold matter. This will also allow us to check on the atomic correlations which are mediated by the collective mean field inside the gas.