Abstract

We perform interferometry with one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates in a double well potential. Using dressed adiabatic potentials on an atomchip, we dynamically split BECs, imposing a macroscopic coherence on the system. Fluctuations of the order parameter are revealed as local shifts in the interference pattern and allow a quantization of the decoherence process with time. For the uncoupled system we ultimately recover individual phase fluctuating condensates, whereas finite tunnel coupling counteracts the decoherence and leads to an equilibrium characterized by a finite coherence length. Decoherence decay and equilibrium coherence lengths are used to determine temperature and coupling strength of the system.

© 2007 Optical Society of America