# A scanning gate microscope for cold atomic gases

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a scanning probe microscopy technique for cold atomic gases, enabling high-resolution spatial mapping of transport properties with nanometer precision, akin to scanning gate microscopy in semiconductors.

## Contribution

It presents a novel method for spatially resolving transport in cold atomic gases with nanometer accuracy, combining experimental measurements with analytical and numerical models.

## Key findings

- Achieved spatial resolution comparable to atomic wave function extent
- Position sensitivity below 10 nanometers
- Identified tunneling-dominated transport regime

## Abstract

We present a scanning probe microscopy technique for spatially resolving transport in cold atomic gases, in close analogy with scanning gate microscopy in semiconductor physics. The conductance of a quantum point contact connected to two atomic reservoirs is measured in the presence of a tightly focused laser beam acting as a local perturbation that can be precisely positioned in space. By scanning its position and recording the subsequent variations of conductance, we retrieve a high-resolution map of transport through a quantum point contact. We demonstrate a spatial resolution comparable to the extent of the transverse wave function of the atoms inside the channel, and a position sensitivity below 10nm. Our measurements agree well with an analytical model and ab-initio numerical simulations, allowing us to identify a regime in transport where tunneling dominates over thermal effects. Our technique opens new perspectives for the high-resolution observation and manipulation of cold atomic gases.