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Figure 2. (a) A vertical row of potential wells. The number of atoms in each mini condensate has large fluctuations, while the fluctuations in the phase differences between the wavefunctions are small. (b) After the confining potential is switched off, the condensates expand and interfere to produce two well defined peaks. (c) By using potential wells that are seven times deeper, Kasevich reduced the fluctuations in the number of atoms, thus producing an increase in phase fluctuations that washes out the interference (d). The degree of squeezing was deduced from the contrast of the two peaks.