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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 82 » Issue 3
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 468–471 (1999)

Reconstruction of a Cold Atom Cloud by Magnetic Focusing

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C. V. Saba, P. A. Barton, M. G. Boshier, I. G. Hughes, P. Rosenbusch, B. E. Sauer, and E. A. Hinds*
Sussex Centre for Optical and Atomic Physics, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QH, United Kingdom

Received 3 September 1998; published in the issue dated 18 January 1999

We have imaged an 18μK cloud of 85Rb atoms bouncing freely on a horizontal, concave magnetic atom mirror (radius of curvature R). A high-quality image is observed even after 14 reflections. Initially compact, the cloud is alternately collimated (odd bounces) and brought back to a focus (even bounces) when dropped from a height R/4. This multiple reconstruction of a thermally expanding cloud hinges on the microscopic reversal of the atomic motion. We discuss the factors limiting the resolution of the mirror and describe the method of construction.

© 1999 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.468
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.468
PACS:
03.75.Be, 32.80.Pj, 32.80.Lg

*Email address: e.a.hinds@sussex.ac.uk

 
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