Atom-surface interactions can significantly modify the intensity and phase of atom de Broglie waves diffracted by a silicon nitride grating. This affects the operation of a material grating as a coherent beam splitter. The phase shifts induced by diffraction are measured by comparing the relative phases of several interfering paths in a Mach-Zehnder Na atom interferometer formed by three material gratings. The values of the diffraction phases are consistent with a simple model which includes a van der Waals atom-surface interaction between the Na atoms and the silicon nitride grating bars.Atom-surface interactions can significantly modify the intensity and phase of atom de Broglie waves diffracted by a silicon nitride grating. This affects the operation of a material grating as a coherent beam splitter. The phase shifts induced by diffraction are measured by comparing the relative phases of several interfering paths in a Mach-Zehnder Na atom interferometer formed by three material gratings. The values of the diffraction phases are consistent with a simple model which includes a van der Waals atom-surface interaction between the Na atoms and the silicon nitride grating bars.

arXiv:physics/0508196Physical Review AMar 15, 200617 citations

Atomic diffraction by light gratings with very short wavelengths

Pedro Sancho

arXiv:1306.5458The European Physical Journal DJun 1, 20130 citations

Using Atomic Diffraction of Na from Material Gratings to Measure Atom-Surface Interactions

John D. Perreault, Alexander D. Cronin, Tim A. Savas

In atom optics a material structure is commonly regarded as an amplitude mask for atom waves. However, atomic diffraction patterns formed using material gratings indicate that material structures also operate as phase masks. In this study a well collimated beam of sodium atoms is used to illuminate a silicon nitride grating with a period of 100 nm. During passage through the grating slots atoms acquire a phase shift due to the van der Waals interaction with the grating walls. As a result the relative intensities of the matter-wave diffraction peaks deviate from those expected for a purely absorbing grating. Thus a complex transmission function is required to explain the observed diffraction envelopes. An optics perspective to the theory of atomic diffraction from material gratings is put forth in the hopes of providing a more intuitive picture concerning the influence of the vdW potential. The van der Waals coefficient $C_{3} = 2.7\pm 0.8{meV nm}^{3}$ is determined by fitting a modified Fresnel optical theory to the experimental data. This value of $C_{3}$ is consistent with a van der Waals interaction between atomic sodium and a silicon nitride surface.In atom optics a material structure is commonly regarded as an amplitude mask for atom waves. However, atomic diffraction patterns formed using material gratings indicate that material structures also operate as phase masks. In this study a well collimated beam of sodium atoms is used to illuminate a silicon nitride grating with a period of 100 nm. During passage through the grating slots atoms acquire a phase shift due to the van der Waals interaction with the grating walls. As a result the relative intensities of the matter-wave diffraction peaks deviate from those expected for a purely absorbing grating. Thus a complex transmission function is required to explain the observed diffraction envelopes. An optics perspective to the theory of atomic diffraction from material gratings is put forth in the hopes of providing a more intuitive picture concerning the influence of the vdW potential. The van der Waals coefficient $C_{3} = 2.7\pm 0.8{meV nm}^{3}$ is determined by fitting a modified Fresnel optical theory to the experimental data. This value of $C_{3}$ is consistent with a van der Waals interaction between atomic sodium and a silicon nitride surface.

arXiv:physics/0312123Dec 19, 20030 citations

Atom diffraction from magnetic gratings in the thin phase-grating approximation

Timothy J. Davis

The European Physical Journal DJun 1, 20012 citations

C_{3} = 2.7\pm 0.8{meV nm}^{3}

is determined by fitting a modified Fresnel optical theory to the experimental data. This value of

C_{3}

is consistent with a van der Waals interaction between atomic sodium and a silicon nitride surface.