Objective One of the most striking features of Bose-Einstein condensâtes is their long-range phase coherence. This proposed research will study the evolution of phase coherence during the growth of an 87Rb condensate from a thermal vapour. It is both a theoretical and experimental challenge to understand the physical process by which long-range coherence is established and our results will test the current theoretical ideas. Two techniques will be used to probe the coherence properties of Bose-Einstein condensâtes: Bragg spectroscopy and matter-wave interferometry. The first goal of the project will be to develop these techniques by applying them to measurements of the coherence lengths of highly elongated (quasi-1-dimensional) Bose- Einstein condensâtes, which exhibit strong phase fluctuations. The second goal is to use these techniques to study the coherence length as a function of time as a condensate grows from a non-equilibrium thermal cloud. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesacousticsnatural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicsbose-einstein condensatesnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physicsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopynatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Keywords Bose Bose-Einstein condensation Bragg spectroscopy Einstein condensation Nanotechnology Risk Assessment atom interferometry evaporative cooling low dimensional physics magnetic trapping phase coherence phase transition quantum degenerate gases Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE Address 3, rue michel ange Paris France See on map EU contribution € 0,00