Probing quasi-2D condensates in an 1D optical lattice

Quasi-2D condensate slices are created by loading a 3D Bose-Einstein condensate into a 1D optical lattice. A microwave pumping scheme is then applied to select one slice for imaging. In our experiment, we use in-trap and time-of-flight imaging techniques to probe a quasi-2d Bose gas. The results from the two different imaging techniques help determine more accurately the nature of an interacting Bose gas in a harmonically trapped system.