A Well-Collimated Quasi-Continuous Atom Laser

Abstract

Extraction of sodium atoms from a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) by a coherent, stimulated Raman process is demonstrated. Optical Raman pulses drive transitions between trapped and untrapped magnetic sublevels, giving the output-coupled BEC fraction a well-defined momentum. The pulsed output coupling can be run at such a rate that the extracted atomic wave packets strongly overlap, forming a highly directional, quasi-continuous matter wave.