Diffraction-contrast imaging of cold atoms

We consider the inverse problem of in-line holography, applied to minimally destructive imaging of cold atom clouds. Absorption imaging near resonance provides a simple, but destructive measurement of atom column density. Imaging off resonance greatly reduces heating, and sequential images may be taken. Under the conditions required for off-resonant imaging, the generally intractable inverse problem may be linearized. A minimally destructive, quantitative and high-resolution image of the atom cloud column density is then retrieved from a single diffraction pattern.