Turner, Lincoln D.; Domen, Kenian E. F. M.; Scholten, Robert E.
(
2005-01)
We consider the inverse problem of in-line holography, applied to minimally-destructive imagingof cold atom clouds. Absorption imaging near resonance provides a simple, but destructive measurementof atom column density. Imaging off resonance greatly reduces heating, and sequential imagesmay be taken. Under the conditions required for off-resonant imaging, the generally-intractable inverseproblem may be linearized. A minimally-destructive, quantitative and high-resolution imageof the atom cloud column density is then retrieved from a single diffraction pattern.