Laser probing of atomic Cooper pairs

Abstract

Laser probing is presented as a method for the detection of the existence of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) ground state and the measurement of the energy gap. The concept is based on the development of a normal phase-superconductor interface by coupling internal states of various scattering lengths using a laser. The method is sensitive even to small laser-induced currents of atomic population, and can be used as an initial step in describing processes related to atom transfer between two gas components.