Imaging of spinor gases
Résumé
We explore the dielectric properties of spinor condensates.Gases with vector (nematic) order, such as spin-1 condensates with ferromagnetic (antiferromagnetic) interactions, display optical activity (birefringence). This optical activity/birefringence is respectively seen for light detuned from resonance by a frequency which is not too large compared with the fine/hyperfine structure.Careful tuning of the light frequency can isolate either of these twoeffects.These features can be used to image spin textures inclouds of spin1 bosons, and to discern states showing different types of spinorder.