title: Atom laser divergence.
abstract: We measure the angular divergence of a quasicontinuous, rf-outcoupled, free-falling atom laser as a function of the outcoupling frequency. The data are compared to a Gaussian-beam model of laser propagation that generalizes the standard formalism of photonic lasers. Our treatment includes diffraction, magnetic lensing, and interaction between the atom laser and the condensate. We find that the dominant source of divergence is the condensate-laser interaction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Charles-Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, UMRA 8501 du CNRS, 91403 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Coq
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Thywissen
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rangwala
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gerbier
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delannoy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bouyer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aspect