A phase microscope for quantum gases.
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| Title: | A phase microscope for quantum gases. |
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| Authors: | Brüggenjürgen, J. C. (AUTHOR), Fischer, M. S. (AUTHOR), Weitenberg, C. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Science. 7/9/2026, Vol. 393 Issue 6807, p167-171. 5p. |
| Subjects: | Quantum coherence, Optical lattices, Bose-Einstein condensation, Phase transitions, Quantum gases, Condensed matter |
| Abstract: | Coherence properties are central to quantum systems and are at the heart of phenomena such as superconductivity. In this work, we studied coherence properties of an ultracold Bose gas in a two-dimensional optical lattice across the thermal phase transition. To infer the phase coherence and phase fluctuation profiles, we used direct matter-wave imaging of higher Talbot revivals and introduced a phase microscope based on a site-resolved mapping of phase fluctuations to density fluctuations during matter-wave imaging. We observed the algebraic decay of the phase correlations in the superfluid phase and a linear temperature increase of the exponent. These techniques may enable studying coherence properties in strongly correlated quantum systems with full spatial resolution. Editor's summary: Quantum microscopes, which probe quantum matter in optical lattices, have typically been used to measure densities rather than phases. Local measurements of coherence and phases on the level of a single lattice site have been difficult to achieve. Brüggenjürgen et al. used matter-wave microscopy in a coherent regime to characterize the phase and coherence of a bosonic quantum gas on individual lattice sites. With further improvements, the technique may enable probing exotic phases of strongly correlated systems. —Jelena Stajic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Coherence properties are central to quantum systems and are at the heart of phenomena such as superconductivity. In this work, we studied coherence properties of an ultracold Bose gas in a two-dimensional optical lattice across the thermal phase transition. To infer the phase coherence and phase fluctuation profiles, we used direct matter-wave imaging of higher Talbot revivals and introduced a phase microscope based on a site-resolved mapping of phase fluctuations to density fluctuations during matter-wave imaging. We observed the algebraic decay of the phase correlations in the superfluid phase and a linear temperature increase of the exponent. These techniques may enable studying coherence properties in strongly correlated quantum systems with full spatial resolution. Editor's summary: Quantum microscopes, which probe quantum matter in optical lattices, have typically been used to measure densities rather than phases. Local measurements of coherence and phases on the level of a single lattice site have been difficult to achieve. Brüggenjürgen et al. used matter-wave microscopy in a coherent regime to characterize the phase and coherence of a bosonic quantum gas on individual lattice sites. With further improvements, the technique may enable probing exotic phases of strongly correlated systems. —Jelena Stajic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 00368075 |
| DOI: | 10.1126/science.adt1712 |
