Naomi Ginsberg Abstract

Naomi Ginsberg
UC Berkeley

"Carrying and Controlling Optical Information with Moving Matter Waves"

In recent experiments, we have taken advantage of ultra-slow light and atomic coherence in order to transfer optical information between two isolated Bose-Einstein condensates by way of recoiling matter waves. I will review the phenomena of ultra-slow and stored light with attention to the effects that light storage has on the atomic medium. In particular, certain geometries enable a component of the atomic wave function, which mimics the original light pulse electric field amplitude and phase, to be ejected. If this traveling matter wave encounters a second, stationary condensate, we are able to reverse the storage process in order to regenerate the original light pulse at this new location. I will emphasize how the success of this process owes itself to the phase coherence and the macroscopic occupation inherent in a Bose-condensed gas.