This thesis presents experiments probing the physics of strongly interacting fermionic atoms\ in the BCS-BEC crossover. Ultracold atom experiments bring the ability to arbitrarily tune interatomic\ interactions, which allows for unprecedented access to the regime of strongly interacting\ physics. The majority of cold atom experiments, however, are carried out in an atom trap that imprints\ an inhomogeneous density on the cloud of atoms. Many phenomena, especially the signatures\ of phase transitions, are significantly modified by this non-uniform density. In this thesis, I present\ a novel imaging technique that allows us to probe a region of nearly homogeneous density within a\ larger, inhomogenenous cloud. Using this technique, I present new results for strongly interacting\ fermionic atoms, including the first measurements of the contact and the occupied spectral function\ of a homogeneous Fermi gas, and the first direct observation of the "textbook" momentum\ distribution of an ideal Fermi gas.
CY - Boulder, CO DA - 10-2015 N2 -This thesis presents experiments probing the physics of strongly interacting fermionic atoms\ in the BCS-BEC crossover. Ultracold atom experiments bring the ability to arbitrarily tune interatomic\ interactions, which allows for unprecedented access to the regime of strongly interacting\ physics. The majority of cold atom experiments, however, are carried out in an atom trap that imprints\ an inhomogeneous density on the cloud of atoms. Many phenomena, especially the signatures\ of phase transitions, are significantly modified by this non-uniform density. In this thesis, I present\ a novel imaging technique that allows us to probe a region of nearly homogeneous density within a\ larger, inhomogenenous cloud. Using this technique, I present new results for strongly interacting\ fermionic atoms, including the first measurements of the contact and the occupied spectral function\ of a homogeneous Fermi gas, and the first direct observation of the "textbook" momentum\ distribution of an ideal Fermi gas.
PB - University of Colorado Boulder PP - Boulder, CO PY - 2015 EP - 138 TI - Measuring local properties of a Fermi gas in the BCS-BEC crossover VL - Ph.D. ER -