Partial-Transfer Absorption Imaging: A versatile technique for optimal   imaging of ultracold gases
  Partial-transfer absorption imaging is a tool that enables optimal imaging of atomic clouds for a wide range of optical depths. In contrast to standard absorption imaging, the technique can be minimally-destructive and can be used to obtain multiple successive images of the same sample. The technique involves transferring a small fraction of the sample from an initial internal atomic state to an auxiliary state and subsequently imaging that fraction absorptively on a cycling transition. The atoms remaining in the initial state are essentially unaffected. We demonstrate the technique, discuss its applicability, and compare its performance as a minimally-destructive technique to that of phase-contrast imaging. 
Anand Ramanathan, S\'ergio R. Muniz, Kevin C. Wright, Russell P.   Anderson, William D. Phillips, Kristian Helmerson, and Gr...
physics.atm-clus cond-mat.quant-gas physics.atom-ph physics.optics