Berlin 2001 – scientific programme
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Q: Quantenoptik
Q 17: Poster: Cooling and Trapping
Q 17.25: Poster
Wednesday, April 4, 2001, 12:30–15:00, AT2
Experiments with a matter wave interferometer towards the examination of collisions between atoms and molecules — •Christian Lisdat, Matthias Frank, Chandra Joshi, Horst Knöckel, and Eberhard Tiemann — SFB 407, Institut für Quantenoptik, Universität Hannover
In the presence of collisions, the phase of a propagating matter wave is
changed. This effect can be monitored by a wave interferometer, which
compares the phases of two matter wave packets, which where affected in
different ways by those collisions [1].
The relative velocities of the collision partners will be in the order of
20 m/s, if a seeded supersonic beam is applied, corresponding to
temperatures about 1 K.
We present first experimental results obtained with our Ramsey-Bordé
interferometer for K2 molecules, that indicate influences of collisions
between K2 and potassium atoms within the beam on the interference
signal. The potassium atoms are prepared in different excited levels.
The present experimental status is shown and the numerical analysis of the
recorded interference structures is described.
The effects of collisions on the interference pattern are discussed as well
as an interpretation of the experimental results.
[1] J. Schmiedmayer, M. Chapman, C. Ekstrom, T. Hammond, S. Wehinger, and D. Pritchard, Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, (1995) 1043