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Diffraction-contrast imaging of cold atoms

L. D. Turner·K. F. E. M. Domen·R. E. Scholten
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Abstract

We consider the inverse problem of in-line holography, applied to minimally-destructive imaging of cold atom clouds. Absorption imaging near-resonance provides a simple, but destructive measurement of atom column density. Imaging off resonance greatly reduces heating, and sequential images may be taken. Under the conditions required for off-resonant imaging, the generally-intractable inverse problem may be linearized. A minimally-destructive, quantitative and high-resolution image of the atom cloud column density is then retrieved from a single diffraction pattern.

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L. D. Turner, K. F. E. M. Domen, R. E. Scholten. 2005-07-15. Diffraction-contrast imaging of cold atoms. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.72.031403

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