title: Nondestructive spatial heterodyne imaging of cold atoms.
abstract: We demonstrate a new method for nondestructive imaging of laser-cooled atoms. This spatial heterodyne technique forms a phase image by interfering a strong reference laser beam with a weak probe beam that passes through the cold atom cloud. The figure of merit equals or exceeds that of phase-contrast imaging, and the technique can be used over a wider range of spatial scales. We show images of a dark-spot magneto-optic trap taken with imaging fluences as low as 61 pJ/cm(2) at a detuning of 11? , resulting in 0.0004 photons scattered per atom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadlecek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sebby
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Newell
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Walker