Matter-Wave Decoherence due to a Gas Environment in an Atom Interferometer
Atomic Physics
2009-11-11 v1
Abstract
Decoherence due to scattering from background gas particles is observed for the first time in a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer, and compared with decoherence due to scattering photons. A single theory is shown to describe decoherence due to scattering either atoms or photons. Predictions from this theory are tested by experiments with different species of background gas, and also by experiments with different collimation restrictions on an atom beam interferometer.
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0508197,
title = {Matter-Wave Decoherence due to a Gas Environment in an Atom Interferometer},
author = {Hermann Uys and John D. Perreault and Alexander D. Cronin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0508197},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
4 pages, 3 figures, accepted to PRL