Measuring the temporal coherence of an atom laser beam - art. no. 160404

We report on the measurement of the temporal coherence of an atom laser bea m extracted from a Rb-87 Bose-Einstein condensate. Reflecting the beam from a potential barrier creates a standing matter wave structure. From the con trast of this interference pattern, observed by magnetic resonance imaging, we have deduced an energy width of the atom laser beam which is Fourier li mited by the duration of output coupling. This gives an upper limit for tem poral phase fluctuations in the Bose-Einstein condensate.