Optics for Neutral Atomic Beams: Reflection and Diffraction of Sodium Atoms by Evanescent Laser Light Fields
K. G. H. Baldwin, Joseph V. Hajnal, Peter Fisk +2 more
Realization of the analogues of optical components for the manipulation of atomic de Broglie waves has recently become possible through the use of laser-based techniques. The strong fields generated by laser light have already been used to reflect atoms using travelling evanescent waves, and to diffract atomic beams through small angles using transmission gratings formed by a standing laser light wave in vacuo. Present experiments aim to combine these techniques to produce a reflection diffraction grating formed by a standing evanescent laser-light field, and to exploit the larger diffraction angles made possible theoretically by such a scheme.
Journal of Modern Optics•Nov 1, 1990•8 citations