Output Coupler for Bose-Einstein Condensed Atoms

We have demonstrated an output coupler for Bose condensed atoms in a magnetic trap. Short pulses of rf radiation were used to create Bose condensates in a superposition of trapped and untrapped hyperfine states. The fraction of out-coupled atoms was adjusted between 0% and 100% by varying the amplitude of the rf radiation. This configuration produces output pulses of coherent atoms and can be regarded as a pulsed {open_quotes}atom laser.{close_quotes} {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}