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Physical Review A

Reflection of metastable argon atoms from an evanescent wave

W. Seifert, Charles S. Adams, V. I. Balykin, Claus Heine, Yu. B. Ovchinnikov, J. Mlynek

Published May 1, 1994• 44 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The reflection of metastable argon atoms from evanescent waves produced by total internal reflection and surface-plasmon excitation is investigated. We study the departure from ideal specular reflection by comparing our experimental results with a Monte Carlo simulation of the reflection process. The observed broadening of the reflection beam was found to be caused predominantly by fluctuations of the diple force. We show that the surface plasmon produces significant enhancement of the evanescent-wave intensity without degrading the quality of reflection. In addition, the number of spontaneous emissions occurring during the reflection process was investigated by comparing the reflectivity of evanescent-wave mirrors based on open and closed transitions in argon. An open-transition mirror selectively reflects atoms which do not undergo spontaneous emission. For a large detuning, the average number of spontaneous emissions for reflected atoms was 0.11.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.49.3814

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AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2008•0 citations
The reflection of metastable argon atoms from evanescent waves produced by total internal reflection and surface-plasmon excitation is investigated. We study the departure from ideal specular reflection by comparing our experimental results with a Monte Carlo simulation of the reflection process. The observed broadening of the reflection beam was found to be caused predominantly by fluctuations of the diple force. We show that the surface plasmon produces significant enhancement of the evanescent-wave intensity without degrading the quality of reflection. In addition, the number of spontaneous emissions occurring during the reflection process was investigated by comparing the reflectivity of evanescent-wave mirrors based on open and closed transitions in argon. An open-transition mirror selectively reflects atoms which do not undergo spontaneous emission. For a large detuning, the average number of spontaneous emissions for reflected atoms was 0.11.
We present a high resolution study of the specularity of the atomic reflection from an evanescent wave mirror using velocity selective Raman transitions. We observed a double structure in the velocity distribution after reflection: a peak consistent with specular reflection and a diffuse reflection pedestal whose contribution decreases rapidly with increasing detuning. The diffuse reflection is due to two distinct effects: spontaneous emission in the evanescent wave and roughness in the evanescent wave potential whose amplitude is smaller than the de Broglie wavelength of the reflected atoms.
A research project at the “Laboratoire d’électronique quantique” consists in a theoretical study of the reflection and diffraction phenomena via an atomic mirror. This poster presents the principle of an atomic mirror. Many groups in the world have constructed this type of atom optics experiments such as in Paris‐Orsay‐Villetaneuse (France), Stanford‐Gaithersburg (USA), Munich‐Heidelberg (Germany), etc. A laser beam goes into a prism with an incidence bigger than the critical incidence. It undergoes a total reflection on the plane face of the prism and then exits. The transmitted resulting wave out of the prism is evanescent and repulsive as the frequency detuning of the laser beam compared to the atomic transition δ = ωL−ω0 is positive. The cold atomic sample interacts with this evanescent wave and undergoes one or more elastic bounces by passing into backward points in its trajectory because the atoms’ kinetic energy (of the order of the μeV) is less than the maximum of the dipolar potential barrier ℏΩ2/Δ where Ω is the Rabi frequency [1]. In fact, the atoms are cooled and captured in a magneto‐optical trap placed at a distance of the order of the cm above the prism surface. The dipolar potential with which interact the slow atoms is obtained for a two level atom in a case of a dipolar electric transition (D2 Rubidium transition at a wavelength of 780nm delivered by a Titane‐Saphir laser between a fundamental state Jf = l/2 and an excited state Je = 3/2). This potential is corrected by an attractive Van der Waals term which varies as 1/z3 in the Lennard‐Jones approximation (typical atomic distance of the order of λ0/2π where λ0 is the laser wavelength) and in 1/z4 if the distance between the atom and its image in the dielectric is big in front of λ0/2π. This last case is obtained in a quantum electrodynamic calculation by taking into account an orthornormal base [2]. We’ll examine the role of spontaneous emission for which the rate is inversely proportional to the detuning δ and is responsible of the non specular aspect of the atomic reflection (atomic diffusion). In the contrary, we note that the specularity of the reflection preserve the coherence of the atomic wave packet. The atoms will constitute a probe of the rugosity of the prism surface which can be imperfect or super‐polished.
In the reflection of atoms by evanescent wave the amplitude of the light field can be changed not necessarily adiabatically slow in comparison with relaxation of internal atomic motion. An approach to describe the reflection of atoms by evanescent wave is the dressed state picture. An atomic mirror can be formed also by a focused elliptical laser beam, in which atoms intersect near the waist of the laser beam. A simple evanescent wave allows one to create a high homogeneous field along the surface of an atomic mirror, without a limitation on the intensity of the field in an evanescent wave. The size of an atomic mirror is usually restricted by the laser intensity required by the reflection. There are several processes at the reflection of atom by light which could lead to non ideal properties of the mirror. One of the remarkable properties of an atomic mirror is its ability to reflect atoms in a certain quantum state.
This poster presents a first analysis of the laws of reflection of cold atoms by an evanescent wave atomic mirror. We demonstrate that when the laser beam is tuned to the blue of the atomic transition, i.e, for a positive frequency detuning compared to the frequency resonance Δ = ωL−ωa, there is a reflection without a contact with the surface of the prism (no adsorption). The condition for an internal total reflection is θ>θc = arcsin (1/n) where θ is the incidence angle of the laser wave on the internal face of the prism and n is its refraction index. The evanescent wave is parallel to the surface and propagates over few wavelengths only for θ = θc. The atomic trajectory is such as the incidence angle φi is different from the reflection angle φr (non respect of the first law of reflection in photonic optics). We’ll have to demonstrate the reflection law in atom optics and give numerical examples as an illustration [1]. At its interaction with the evanescent wave, the atom is submitted to a pressure radiation force Fx parallel to the surface of separation which communicates a quantity of motion in the direction of the x axis. It is also submitted to a dipolar force Fy perpendicular to the separation surface responsible of the repulsion of cold atoms in the case where we neglect the Van der Waals forces. We define R as the ratio of two forces Fx and Fy. Their expressions, function of the detuning, are given by the Ehrenfest theorem and the Bloch equations [2]. When the ratio R tends towards zero (spontaneous emission negligible for a detuning important compared to natural linewidth of the excited state), the first law of Descartes reflection is thus satisfied idem φi = φr Thus, it is simple to demonstrate that the atomic trajectories obey to the general reflection law: tg φr = tg φi−2R where R is independent of the spatial component. Its expression is given by the ratio of the velocity transfers Δvx to Δvy. The case of retro‐reflection seen in quasi normal incidence and for values of the ratio R different from zero (φi = −φr) is also examined. In the case where the value of the ratio R is non null, we may demonstrate that the incidence plan is different from the reflection plan (second law of Descartes reflection).