Dynamics of rotating Bose-Einstein condensates probed by Bragg scattering

TL;DR

This paper investigates the rotation dynamics of sodium Bose-Einstein condensates using two-photon Doppler-sensitive Bragg scattering, providing detailed flow field analysis and non-destructive vortex probing, offering insights beyond traditional imaging methods.

Contribution

It introduces a Bragg scattering technique to analyze the microscopic flow and phase of rotating BECs, enabling non-destructive, direction-sensitive measurements.

Findings

Bragg scattering reveals the phase of the condensate.

Flow profiles consistent with theoretical models.

Non-destructive vortex flow probing demonstrated.

Abstract

Gaseous Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) have become an important test bed for studying the dynamics of quantized vortices. In this work we use two-photon Doppler sensitive Bragg scattering to study the rotation of sodium BECs. We analyze the microscopic flow field and present laboratory measurements of the coarse-grained velocity profile. Unlike time-of-flight imaging, Bragg scattering is sensitive to the direction of rotation and therefore to the phase of the condensate. In addition, we have non-destructively probed the vortex flow field using a sequence of two Bragg pulses.