Measuring the Temporal Coherence of an Atom Laser Beam

Abstract

We report on the measurement of the temporal coherence of an atom laser beam extracted from a (87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensate. Reflecting the beam from a potential barrier creates a standing matter wave structure. From the contrast of this interference pattern, observed by magnetic resonance imaging, we have deduced an energy width of the atom laser beam which is Fourier limited by the duration of output coupling. This gives an upper limit for temporal phase fluctuations in the Bose-Einstein condensate.