No presente trabalho, estudamos a possibilidade de se produzir um Condensado de Bose-Einstein em um estado excitado de um potencial confinante. Vimos que, com um campo externo oscilante, é possível transferir átomos do estado fundamental para um estado excitado qualquer. Se esse campo oscilar próximo da freqüência de transição entre os dois modos, é possível aproximar esse sistema para um de dois níveis. Analisando numericamente a evolução temporal das populações de cada nível, vimos que há oscilações de população do tipo Rabi. Estas oscilações variam de acordo com a forma espacial, a intensidade e com a dessintonia do campo aplicado. Vimos, também, que há a formação de franjas do tipo Ramsey, ao aplicarmos um campo oscilatório com dois pulsos separados. Além disso, definindo um parâmetro de ordem como sendo a diferença entre a média temporal da população de cada estado, é possível caracterizar um tipo de transição de fase no condensado. Estudamos como a forma do campo externo interfere na transição de fase, caracterizada pelo parâmetro de ordem. Obtemos também, um valor crítico do campo no qual ocorre essa transição. / In this work, we have studied the possibility of producing a Bose-Einstein Condensate in an excited state of a confining potential. We have seen that, with a oscillatory external field, it is possible to transfer atoms from the ground state to any excited state. If this field oscillates near the transition frequency between the two modes, it is possible to approximate that system to a two-level system. Analyzing numerically the temporal evolution of population of each level, we have seen there are Rabi-like oscillations of population. This oscillations vary according to the spacial shape, the intensity and the detuning of the applied field. We have also seen there is a Ramsey-like fringes formation, if we apply an oscillatory field with separate two pulses. Moreover, defining an order parameter as being a difference between the population time average of each level, it is possible to characterize a kind of phase transition in the condensate. We have studied how the shape of the external field interferes in the phase transition, characterized by the order parameter. We have also obtained a critical value for the field in which that transition occurs.

No presente trabalho, estudamos a possibilidade de se produzir um Condensado de Bose-Einstein em um estado excitado de um potencial confinante. Vimos que, com um campo externo oscilante, é possível transferir átomos do estado fundamental para um estado excitado qualquer. Se esse campo oscilar próximo da freqüência de transição entre os dois modos, é possível aproximar esse sistema para um de dois níveis. Analisando numericamente a evolução temporal das populações de cada nível, vimos que há oscilações de população do tipo Rabi. Estas oscilações variam de acordo com a forma espacial, a intensidade e com a dessintonia do campo aplicado. Vimos, também, que há a formação de franjas do tipo Ramsey, ao aplicarmos um campo oscilatório com dois pulsos separados. Além disso, definindo um parâmetro de ordem como sendo a diferença entre a média temporal da população de cada estado, é possível caracterizar um tipo de transição de fase no condensado. Estudamos como a forma do campo externo interfere na transição de fase, caracterizada pelo parâmetro de ordem. Obtemos também, um valor crítico do campo no qual ocorre essa transição. / In this work, we have studied the possibility of producing a Bose-Einstein Condensate in an excited state of a confining potential. We have seen that, with a oscillatory external field, it is possible to transfer atoms from the ground state to any excited state. If this field oscillates near the transition frequency between the two modes, it is possible to approximate that system to a two-level system. Analyzing numerically the temporal evolution of population of each level, we have seen there are Rabi-like oscillations of population. This oscillations vary according to the spacial shape, the intensity and the detuning of the applied field. We have also seen there is a Ramsey-like fringes formation, if we apply an oscillatory field with separate two pulses. Moreover, defining an order parameter as being a difference between the population time average of each level, it is possible to characterize a kind of phase transition in the condensate. We have studied how the shape of the external field interferes in the phase transition, characterized by the order parameter. We have also obtained a critical value for the field in which that transition occurs.

Time-varying fields are widely used to extend the accessible range of trapping potentials for ultracold atoms. This work explores two very different examples of such fields, in the radiofrequency and optical regimes, whose interactions with trapped atoms can both be described in terms of the dressed atom picture. Forming the basis of this work are radiofrequency dressed adiabatic potentials based on macroscopic trapping coils. Atoms are confined at the south pole of the resultant oblate spheroidal trapping surfaces. This work describes the extension of these potentials by two different methods: the application of multiple dressing radiofrequencies, and addition of a rapidly-scanned optical dipole trap. This is the first experimental demonstration of a multiple-radiofrequency dressed adiabatic potential, explored using ultracold ⁸⁷Rb atoms confined in a highly configurable double well. Due to the independent generation of each constituent dressing frequency, the depth of each trapping well and the height of the barrier are easily manipulated, enabling precise and reliable transfer of atoms between the available trapping geometries. Experimental work includes an exploration of the potential-shaping capabilities of the three-radiofrequency system, and characterisation of the potential landscape using radiofrequency spectroscopy with good agreement to the eigenvalues numerically calculated using Floquet theory. This initial exploration of multiple-radiofrequency techniques lays the groundwork for applications in studying double well physics in a two-dimensional system, and independent state or species selective manipulation of trapped atoms. The potential shaping capabilities of this method can also be extended by applying additional trapping frequencies. In a supplementary line of experimental work, an optical dipole trapping system has been constructed, and the trapping beam aligned to the lower surface of the radiofrequency dressed trapping shell in order to sculpt the radial confinement. Beam shaping is achieved using an acousto-optic deflector, which can be used to produce either a composite array of static deflected beams, a rapidly-scanned painted potential, or some combination of the two approaches. The development and extension of the experimental apparatus required to implement these enhanced dressed state potentials is explored, and the challenges of their experimental implementation considered.

La problématique de cette thèse est l'étude de la localisation d'un condensat de Bose-Einstein confiné harmoniquement et quasi-1D à travers lequel différents potentiels désordonnés sont transportés. Cette problématique qui se veut pleinement pertinente pour les expérimentalistes est à priori difficile à traiter. Cela est dû au caractère non-linéaire, inhomogène et hors-équilibre du système. De ce fait, la plage des vitesses du désordre est limitée d'une part par la vitesse critique de superfluidité et d'autre part par la configuration inhomogène du système. Des notions habituelles de localisation telles que transmission ou exposant de Lyapunov ne sont plus applicables. Donc, il a fallu apporter une nouvelle mesure de localisation pour notre problématique: le ratio du déplacement du centre de masse du condensat au déplacement du désordre qu'on a identifié à la fraction d'atomes localisés. De plus, nous avons des corrélations dans le désordre qui introduisent l'effet d'un comportement non-monotone de l'efficacité de la localisation du potentiel désordonné en fonction de l'énergie. Ainsi, les corrélations peuvent être un moyen pour mettre en évidence la nature quantique de la localisation. Chose que nous avont fait dans un premier temps avec du désordre de type Modèle d'Edwards et dans une seconde partie avec du désordre de type speckle, qu'on nomme le Random Dimer speckle. Pour ce deuxième cas, nous avons proposé une procédure pour contrôler les corrélations et introduire un pic de localisation dans une certaine région énergétique. Cette configuration pourrait être vérifié dans les expériences à l'aide d'un modulateur spatial de lumière. / The topic of this thesis is the study of localization of a quasi-one-dimensional and harmonically trapped Bose-Einstein condensate through which various disordered potentials are transported. This problem, which wants itself to be fully relevant to experimenters, is a priori difficult to deal with. This is due to the non-linear, inhomhogeneous and out-of-equilibrium nature of the system. Because of this, the range of speeds of disorder is limited on one side by the critical speed of superfluidity and on the other side by the inhomogeneous setting of the system. Usual notions of localization like transmission and Lyapunov exponent are no longer applicable. Thus, we had to introduce a novel measure of localization for our problem: the ratio of the distance moved by the condensate center of mass to the distance moved by the disordered potential that we identify as the fraction of localized atoms. Furthermore, we have correlations in the disorder that introduce the effect of non-monotonic behavior of the localization efficiency of the disordered potential as a function of energy. A a result, correlations can be used as a tool to point the quantum nature of the localization. We did this in a first part with Edwards Model type disorders and in a second part with speckle type disorders, a new one that we call the Random Dimer speckle. For this second part, we propose a scheme to control the correlations and introduce a localization peak in a certain energy region. This device can be verified in experiments with the help of a Spatial Light Modulator.

Ce manuscrit décrit des expériences d’optique atomique quantique utilisant un détecteur résolu en impulsions d’atomes uniques d’hélium métastable. La première partie du manuscrit décrit la mesure de cohérence de deuxième ordre de la superradiance à partir d’un condensat de Bose-Einstein d’helium métastable. Bien que le condensat soit cohérent et le gain du processus de superradiance élevé, celle-ci montre toujours une statistique thermique comme celle de l’émission spontanée. La suite du manuscrit est dédiée au test de la non localité d’une source atomique corrélée en impulsion. Le schéma du test s’inspire d’une réalisation faite par Rarity et Tapster sur des photons intriqués en impulsion. Les ingrédients principaux d’un tel schéma sont la source atomique générée par instabilité dynamique du condensat dans un réseau optique en mouvement, le contrôle cohérent des atomes par diffraction de Bragg et la mesure de la corrélation des atomes dans les différentes voies de sortie du schéma interférométrique. Un point clé est le contrôle et la manipulation de la phase des ondes atomiques. Le chapitre 3 décrit les tests sur le contrôle cohérent par diffraction de Bragg et leurs résultats encourageants. La nature non classique de notre source atomique est démontrée par l’observation d’une interférence à deux particules en les envoyant sur une séparatrice atomique. Cet analogue atomique de l’expérience de Hong Ou et Mandel est le sujet du dernier chapitre de ce manuscrit. Le résultat de cette expérience ouvre la possibilité du test d’inégalité de Bell avec des particules massives corrélées sur des degrés de liberté externe. / This manuscript describes quantum atom optics experiments using metastable helium atoms with a single-atom momentum resolved detector. In the first part of this manuscript, the second order correlation measurement of the superradiance from a metastable helium Bose-Einstein condensate is presented. The superradiance effect is the collective radiation of dense ensemble where a strong gain of the radiation is expected. We have shown the thermal like statistics of the emission even in the presence of the strong gain. The next part of the manuscript is devoted to the quantum nonlocality test using a pair of atoms entangled in momentum. The protocol we came up with is inspired from the one of Rarity and Tapster with pairs of photons entangled in momentum. The essential ingredients of this protocol are the atomic pair produced by dynamical instability of the Bose-Einstein condensate in a moving optical lattice, the coherent control of the atomic pair by Bragg diffraction and the correlation measurement of the atoms in different output modes of the interferometric protocol. The experimental characterization and preparation of coherent control by Bragg diffraction are presented showing the proof of principle of such a protocol. The last part of the manuscript discusses the realization of the atomic Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment using the same atomic pair with an atomic beamsplitter. The non-classical interference result of this experiment has opened an opportunity for us to realize Bell’s inequality test with massive particles correlated in external degrees of freedom.

Nesta tese estudamos dois problemas diferentes na área de átomos ultra frios: Ondas de choque em condensados de Bose-Einstein e Espalhamento inelástico de átomos em um potencial de dois poços. No primeiro problema, estudamos o fluxo supersônico de um condensado de Bose-Einstein (BEC) através de um obstáculo macroscópico impenetrável delgado no sistema da equação de Schrödinger não-linear (NLS) bidimensional. Assumindo-se que a velocidade do fluxo é suficientemente alta, reduzimos assintoticamente o problema bidimensional original de valor de contorno para o fluxo estacionário através de um obstáculo alongado ao problema do pistão dispersivo unidimensional descrito pela NLS 1D dependente do tempo, no qual a coordenada original x reescalonada faz o papel de tempo e o movimento do pistão está vinculado à geometria do obstáculo. Duas ondas de choque dispersivas (DSWs) são geradas no fluxo, cada uma sendo formada em uma extremidade (frontal e traseira) do obstáculo. A DSW frontal é descrita analiticamente construindo-se soluções de modulação exatas para as equações de Whitham e a para a DSW traseira, empregamos a regra de quantização de Bohr-Sommerfeld generalizada para descrever a distribuição dos sólitons escuros. Propomos uma extensão da solução de modulação tradicional, a fim de incluir o padrão de ship-wave linear formado fora da região da DSW frontal. Realizamos simulações numéricas 2D completas e verificamos a validade das previsões analíticas. Os resultados deste problema podem ser relevantes para experimentos recentes sobre o fluxo de BECs através de obstáculos. No segundo problema, estudamos uma mistura atômica de dois átomos fermiônicos leves de spin 1/2 e dois átomos pesados em um potencial de dois poços. Processos de espalhamento inelástico entre ambas as espécies atômicas excitam os átomos pesados e renormalizam a taxa de tunelamento e a interação entre os átomos leves (efeito polarônico). A interação efetiva dos átomos leves muda de sinal e se torna atrativa quando o espalhamento inelástico é forte. Observamos também o cruzamento de níveis de energia, de um estado onde cada poço contém apenas um férmion (espalhamento inelástico fraco) para um estado onde um poço contém um par de férmions e ou outra está vazio (espalhamento inelástico forte). Identificamos o efeito polarônico e o cruzamento dos níveis de energia estudando-se a dinâmica quântica do sistema. / In this thesis we study two different problems in the field of ultracold atoms: Shock waves in Bose-Einstein condensates and Inelastic scattering of atoms in a double well. In the first problem, we study the supersonic flow of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) past a slender impenetrable macroscopic obstacle in the framework of the twodimensional (2D) defocusing nonlinear Schr¨odinger equation (NLS). Assuming the oncoming flow speed sufficiently high, we asymptotically reduce the original boundary-value problem for a steady flow past a slender body to the one-dimensional dispersive piston problem described by the nonstationary NLS equation, in which the role of time is played by the stretched x-coordinate and the piston motion curve is defined by the spatial body profile. Two steady oblique spatial dispersive shock waves (DSWs) spreading from the pointed ends of the body are generated in both half-planes. These are described analytically by constructing appropriate exact solutions of the Whitham modulation equations for the front DSW and by using a generalized Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule for the oblique dark soliton fan in the rear DSW. We propose an extension of the traditional modulation description of DSWs to include the linear ship-wave pattern forming outside the nonlinear modulation region of the front DSW. Our analytic results are supported by direct 2D unsteady numerical simulations and are relevant to recent experiments on Bose-Einstein condensates freely expanding past obstacles. In the second problem, we study a mixture of two light spin-1/2 fermionic atoms and two heavy atoms in a double well potential. Inelastic scattering processes between both atomic species excite the heavy atoms and renormalize the tunneling rate and the interaction of the light atoms (polaron effect). The effective interaction of the light atoms changes its sign and becomes attractive for strong inelastic scattering. This is accompanied by a crossing of the energy levels from singly occupied sites at weak inelastic scattering to a doubly occupied and an empty site for stronger inelastic scattering. We are able to identify the polaron effect and the level crossing in the quantum dynamics.

In this work we constructed an experimental system to realize a BEC of sodium atoms. In the first part of the work, we study two atomic sources in order to choose the most suitable for our system. The comparison between a Zeeman slower and a bidimensional magnetooptical trap (2D-MOT) was performed to evaluate the capacity of producing an appropiate flux of atoms in order to load a tridimensional magneto-optical trap (3D-MOT). The experimental results show that the 2D-MOT is as efficient as the Zeeman slower with the advantage of being more compact and easier to operate, and for these reasons we choose it as our source of cold atoms. After this, the experimental apparatus to produce a Bose-Einstein condensate was constructed and characterized. With this experimental system we realized all the required stages to achieve the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC). Initially, we characterized and compared the performance between the Bright-MOT and Dark-SPOT MOT of sodium atoms, observing the great advantages this last configuration offers. Afterward, we implemented the experimental sequence for the achivement of the BEC of sodium atoms. After the optical molasses process, the atoms are tranferred to an optically plugged quadrupole trap (OPT) where the process of evaporative cooling is performed. With this setup, we achive a sodium BEC with ∼ 5×105 atoms and a critical temperature of ∼ 1.1 μK. Finally, with the constructed and characterized machine, we started to perform experiments of cooperative absorption of two photons by two trapped atoms. With the new system, we wanted to take advantage of the higher densities in the magnetic trap and BEC to explore some features of this phenomenon in the classical and quantum regimes. We were interested in exploring some features of this nonlinear light-matter interaction effect. The idea of having two or more photons interacting with two or more atoms is the beginning of a new possible class of phenomena that we could call many photons-many body intercation. In this new possibity, photons and atoms will be fully correlated, introducing new aspects of interactions. / Neste trabalho, realizamos a construção de um sistema experimental para a realização de um condensado de Bose-Einstein de átomos de sódio. Na primeira parte do trabalho, realizamos o estudo de duas fontes átomicas com o intuito de escolher a mais adequada para nosso sistema experimental. A comparação foi realizada entre um Zeeman slower e uma armadilha magneto-óptica bidimensional (MOT-2D), que são técnicas usadas para fornecer um grande fluxo de átomos com distribuição de velocidades adequadas para serem capturados numa armadilha magneto-óptica tridimensional (MOT-3D). Os resultados experimentais da caracterização de ambos os sistemas mostra que o MOT-2D oferece um grande fluxo atômico da mesma ordem do Zeeman slower, mas com a vantagem de ser um sistema mais compacto em questão de tamanho, razão pela qual foi escolhido como fonte atômica no nosso sistema. A partir daqui, realizamos a construção do sistema experimental para a realização do condensado de sódio. Inicialmente realizamos o aprisionamento numa MOT-3D, realizando subsequentemente os passos de resfriamento sub-Doppler mediante o processo de molasses ópticas. Depois disto, os átomos são transferidos para uma armadilha magnética, que consiste de um par de bobinas em configuração anti-Helmholtz, as mesmas usadas para a MOT-3D mas com um gradiente de campo magnético ao redor de uma ordem de grandeza maior. Esta armadilha é combinada com um laser com dessintonia para o azul focado a 30 μm no centro da armadilha, onde o campo magnético é zero com o objetivo de evitar as perdas por majorana que acontecem nessa região. Com esta configuração, um condensado de ∼ 5 × 105 átomos é obtido a uma temperatura crítica de ∼ 1.1 μK. Por último, com a máquina construída e caracterizada, começamos re-explorar o experimento de absorção cooperativa de dois fótons por dois átomos aprisionados. Com nosso novo sistema, é possível explorar este efeito no regime clássico e quântico. Estamos interessados em explorar algumas características da interação não linear entre luz e matéria. A ideia de ter dois ou mais fótons interagindo com um ou mais átomos, é possivelmente o começo de uma nova classe de fenômenos que poderíamos chamar de interação de muitos fótons com muitos átomos.

Ultra-kalte atomare Gase werden in zahlreichen Laboren weltweit untersucht und finden unter anderem Anwendung in Atomuhren und in Atominterferometer. Die Einsatzgebiete erstrecken sich von der Geodäsie über die Metrologie bis hin zu wichtigen Fragestellungen der Fundamentalphysik, wie z.B. Tests des Äquivalenzprinzips. Doch die beispiellose Messgenauigkeit ist durch die irdische Gravitation eingeschränkt. Zum einen verzerrt die Schwerkraft das Fallenpotential und macht damit die Reduktion der atomaren Energie unter einem bestimmten Limit unmöglich. Zum anderen werden die aus einer Falle frei gelassenen Teilchen durch die Erdanziehung beschleunigt und so ist deren Beobachtungszeit begrenzt. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit werden die Ergebnisse des Projektes QUANTUS (Quantengase Unter Schwerelosigkeit) dargestellt. Auf dem Weg zur Implementierung eines Quantengasexperimentes im Weltraum wurde innerhalb einer deutschlandweiten Zusammenarbeit eine kompakte, portable und mechanisch stabile Apparatur zur Erzeugung und Untersuchung eines Bose-Einstein-Kondensats (BEC) unter Schwerelosigkeit im Fallturm Bremen entwickelt. Sowohl die Abbremsbeschleunigung von bis zu 50 g als auch das begrenzte Volumen der Fallkapsel stellen hohe Ansprüche an die mechanische Stabilität und die Miniaturisierung von optischen und elektronischen Komponenten. Der Aufbau besteht aus einer im ultra-hoch Vakuum geschlossenen magnetischen Mikrofalle (Atomchip) und einem kompakten auf DFB-Dioden basierenden Lasersystem. Mit diesem Aufbau ließ sich das erste BEC unter Schwerelosigkeit realisieren und nach 1 Sekunde freier Expansion zu beobachten. Weder die schwache Krümmung des Fallenpotentials noch die lange Beobachtungszeit würden in einem erdgebundenen Experiment realisierbar. Die erfolgreiche Umsetzung des Projektes eröffnet ein innovatives Forschungsgebiet - degenerierte Quantengase bei ultratiefen Temperaturen im pK-Bereich, mit großen freien Evolutions- und Beobachtungszeiten von mehreren Sekunden. / Recently, cooling, trapping and manipulation of neutral atoms and ions has become an especially active field of quantum physics. The main motivation for the cooling is to reduce motional effects in high precision measurements including spectroscopy, atomic clocks and matter interferometry. The spectrum of applications of these quantum devices cover a broad area from geodesy, through metrology up to addressing the fundamental questions in physics, as for instance testing the Einstein’s equivalence principle. However, the unprecedented precision of the quantum sensors is limited in terrestial laboratories. Freezing atomic motion can be nowadays put to the limit at which gravity becomes a major perturbation in a system. Gravity can significantly affect and disturb the trapping potential. This limits the use of ultra-shallow traps for low energetic particles. Moreover, free particles are accelerated by gravitational force, which substantially limits the observation time. Targeting the long-term goal of studying cold quantum gases on a space platform, we currently focus on the implementation of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) experiment under microgravity conditions at the drop tower in Bremen. Special challenges in the construction of the experimental setup are posed by a low volume of the drop capsule as well as critical decelerations up to 50g during recapture at the bottom of the tower. All mechanical and electronic components were thus been designed with stringent demands on miniaturization and mechanical stability. This work reports on the observation of a BEC released from an ultra-shallow magnetic potential and freely expanding for one second. Both, the low trapping frequency and long expansion time are not achievable in any earthbound laboratory. This unprecedented time of free evolution leads to new possibilities for the study of BEC-coherence. It can also be applied to enhance the sensitivity of inertial quantum sensors based on ultra-cold matter waves.

Les atomes ultrafroids constituent depuis une vingtaine d’années un domaine fructueux pour l’étude de la physique à N corps. Cependant l’inhomogénéité des nuages atomiques, induite par les méthodes de piégeage utilisées habituellement, constitue une limite pour les études portant sur de grandes échelles de longueur. Nous reportons ici la mise en place d’un nouveau dispositif expérimental, combinant un potentiel modulable à bords raides et fond plat dans le plan atomique, avec un confinement versatile dans la troisième direction. Nous nous intéressons à différentes excitations du système, premièrement des degrés de liberté internes des atomes via leur interaction avec la lumière, puis deuxièmement de leur mouvement collectif avec la propagation de phonons. La répartition des atomes dans un plan est particulièrement adaptée aux études de diffusion de la lumière. Elle permet en effet de sonder de fortes densités atomiques, entraînant de fortes interactions dipôle-dipôle induites, tout en gardant un signal transmis suffisant pour effectuer des mesures. Nous avons mesuré la déviation au comportement d’un atome isolé pour de la lumière proche de résonance lorsque la densité atomique est modifiée. Nous avons également étudié la diffusion de photons dans un disque d’atomes en injectant de la lumière seulement au centre du disque. Nous nous sommes ensuite intéressés aux excitations collectives du gaz. Nous avons mesuré la vitesse du son dans le milieu, qui est liée à la fraction superfluide du système, et comparé nos résultats aux prédictions d’un modèle hydrodynamique à deux fluides. En utilisant une géométrie adaptée, nous avons en outre étudié la dynamique de retour à l’équilibre d’un système isolé, en imageant la phase du condensat de Bose-Einstein résultant de la fusion de jusqu’à douze condensats. / Ultracold atoms have proven to be a powerful platform for studying many-body physics. However the inhomegeneity of atomic clouds induced by potentials commonly used to trap the atoms constitutes a limitation for studies probing large length scales. Here we present the implementation of a new versatile setup to study two-dimensional Bose gases, combining a tunable in-plane box potential with a strong and efficient confinement along the third direction. We study different excitations of the system, either of internal degrees of freedom of the atoms with light scattering, or of their collective motion with phonon propagation. The slab geometry is particularly well suited for light scattering studies. It allows one to probe high atomic densities, leading to strong induced dipole-dipole interactions, while keeping a good enough light transmission for measurements. We monitor the deviation from the single atom behavior for near resonant light by varying the atomic density. We additionally monitor the spreading of photons inside the slab by injecting light only at the center of a disk of atoms. We also investigate collective excitations of the atomic gas. We measure the speed of sound which is linked to the superfluid density of the cloud and compare our results to a two-fluid hydrodynamic model predictions. Using a relevant geometry, we additionally study how an isolated system goes back to equilibrium. This is done by imaging the phase of the resulting Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) after merging up to twelve BECs.

In this work we constructed an experimental system to realize a BEC of sodium atoms. In the first part of the work, we study two atomic sources in order to choose the most suitable for our system. The comparison between a Zeeman slower and a bidimensional magnetooptical trap (2D-MOT) was performed to evaluate the capacity of producing an appropiate flux of atoms in order to load a tridimensional magneto-optical trap (3D-MOT). The experimental results show that the 2D-MOT is as efficient as the Zeeman slower with the advantage of being more compact and easier to operate, and for these reasons we choose it as our source of cold atoms. After this, the experimental apparatus to produce a Bose-Einstein condensate was constructed and characterized. With this experimental system we realized all the required stages to achieve the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC). Initially, we characterized and compared the performance between the Bright-MOT and Dark-SPOT MOT of sodium atoms, observing the great advantages this last configuration offers. Afterward, we implemented the experimental sequence for the achivement of the BEC of sodium atoms. After the optical molasses process, the atoms are tranferred to an optically plugged quadrupole trap (OPT) where the process of evaporative cooling is performed. With this setup, we achive a sodium BEC with ∼ 5×105 atoms and a critical temperature of ∼ 1.1 μK. Finally, with the constructed and characterized machine, we started to perform experiments of cooperative absorption of two photons by two trapped atoms. With the new system, we wanted to take advantage of the higher densities in the magnetic trap and BEC to explore some features of this phenomenon in the classical and quantum regimes. We were interested in exploring some features of this nonlinear light-matter interaction effect. The idea of having two or more photons interacting with two or more atoms is the beginning of a new possible class of phenomena that we could call many photons-many body intercation. In this new possibity, photons and atoms will be fully correlated, introducing new aspects of interactions. / Neste trabalho, realizamos a construção de um sistema experimental para a realização de um condensado de Bose-Einstein de átomos de sódio. Na primeira parte do trabalho, realizamos o estudo de duas fontes átomicas com o intuito de escolher a mais adequada para nosso sistema experimental. A comparação foi realizada entre um Zeeman slower e uma armadilha magneto-óptica bidimensional (MOT-2D), que são técnicas usadas para fornecer um grande fluxo de átomos com distribuição de velocidades adequadas para serem capturados numa armadilha magneto-óptica tridimensional (MOT-3D). Os resultados experimentais da caracterização de ambos os sistemas mostra que o MOT-2D oferece um grande fluxo atômico da mesma ordem do Zeeman slower, mas com a vantagem de ser um sistema mais compacto em questão de tamanho, razão pela qual foi escolhido como fonte atômica no nosso sistema. A partir daqui, realizamos a construção do sistema experimental para a realização do condensado de sódio. Inicialmente realizamos o aprisionamento numa MOT-3D, realizando subsequentemente os passos de resfriamento sub-Doppler mediante o processo de molasses ópticas. Depois disto, os átomos são transferidos para uma armadilha magnética, que consiste de um par de bobinas em configuração anti-Helmholtz, as mesmas usadas para a MOT-3D mas com um gradiente de campo magnético ao redor de uma ordem de grandeza maior. Esta armadilha é combinada com um laser com dessintonia para o azul focado a 30 μm no centro da armadilha, onde o campo magnético é zero com o objetivo de evitar as perdas por majorana que acontecem nessa região. Com esta configuração, um condensado de ∼ 5 × 105 átomos é obtido a uma temperatura crítica de ∼ 1.1 μK. Por último, com a máquina construída e caracterizada, começamos re-explorar o experimento de absorção cooperativa de dois fótons por dois átomos aprisionados. Com nosso novo sistema, é possível explorar este efeito no regime clássico e quântico. Estamos interessados em explorar algumas características da interação não linear entre luz e matéria. A ideia de ter dois ou mais fótons interagindo com um ou mais átomos, é possivelmente o começo de uma nova classe de fenômenos que poderíamos chamar de interação de muitos fótons com muitos átomos.