arXiv subjects

Brigitte Mercier

Publications and source records attributed to Brigitte Mercier.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

Carrier-envelope-phase stable, high-contrast, double chirped-pulse-amplification laser system

We present the first carrier-envelope phase stable chirped pulse amplifier (CPA) featuring high temporal contrast for relativistic intensity laser-plasma interactions at 1 kHz repetition rate. The laser is based on a double-CPA architecture including XPW filtering technique and a high-energy grism-based compressor. 8 mJ, 22 fs pulses are produced with 10-11 temporal contrast at -20 ps and a CEP drift of 240 mrad RMS.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2006

Diffuse reflection of a Bose-Einstein condensate from a rough evanescent wave mirror

We present experimental results showing the diffuse reflection of a Bose-Einstein condensate from a rough mirror, consisting of a dielectric substrate supporting a blue-detuned evanescent wave. The scattering is anisotropic, more pronounced in the direction of the surface propagation of the evanescent wave. These results agree very well with theoretical predictions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2005

Diffraction of a Bose-Einstein Condensate in the Time Domain

We have observed the diffraction of a Bose-Einstein condensate of rubidium atoms on a vibrating mirror potential. The matter wave packet bounces back at normal incidence on a blue-detuned evanescent light field after a 3.6 mm free fall. The mirror vibrates at a frequency of 500 kHz with an amplitude of 3.0 nm. The atomic carrier and sidebands are directly imaged during their ballistic expansion. The locations and the relative weights of the diffracted atomic wave packets are in very good agreement with the theoretical prediction of Carsten Henkel et al. [1].

quant-ph↗

arXiv2005

A Bose-Einstein condensate bouncing off a rough mirror

We present experimental results and theoretical analysis of the diffuse reflection of a Bose-Einstein condensate from a rough mirror. The mirror is produced by a blue-detuned evanescent wave supported by a dielectric substrate. The results are carefully analysed via a comparison with a numerical simulation. The scattering is clearly anisotropic, more pronounced in the direction of the evanescent wave surface propagation, as predicted theoretically.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2004

Ultracold atoms confined in rf-induced two-dimensional trapping potentials

We present the experimental implementation of a new trap for cold atoms proposed by O. Zobay and B. M. Garraway. It relies on adiabatic potentials for atoms dressed by a rf field in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. This trap is well suited to confine atoms tightly along one direction to produce a two-dimensional atomic gas. We transferred ultracold atoms into this trap, starting either from thermal samples or Bose--Einstein condensates. In the latter case, technical noise during the loading stage caused heating and prevented us from observing 2D BECs.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2003

Schemes for loading a Bose-Einstein condensate into a two-dimensional dipole trap

We propose two loading mechanisms of a degenerate Bose gas into a surface trap. This trap relies on the dipole potential produced by two evanescent optical waves far detuned from the atomic resonance, yielding a strongly anisotropic trap with typical frequencies 40 Hz x 65 Hz x 30 kHz. We present numerical simulations based on the time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation of the transfer process from a conventional magnetic trap into the surface trap. We show that, despite a large discrepancy between the oscillation frequencies along one direction in the initial and final traps, a loading time of a few tens of milliseconds would lead to an adiabatic transfer. Preliminary experimental results are presented.

cond-mat↗