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Optics and Spectroscopy

Splitting of atomic beams by light for creation of high-resolution spatial structures in optical nanolithography

V. O. Vitkovsky, Sergei V Prants

Published Jan 1, 2013• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Diffraction of atomic wave packets from a standing laser wave with a Gaussian profile is studied theoretically and numerically in pursuing the aim of creating high-resolution spatial structures in optical nanolithography. To this end, we propose to use nonadiabatic transitions between two optical potentials which take place when square of the value of detuning off the resonance is approximately equal to the Doppler shift. In this case, atomic wave packets experience splitting at nodes of the standing wave, which allows creating atomic structures on a substrate with a period substantially smaller than the standard nanofabrication limit equal to half the wavelength of light. We propose a scheme of the experiment for the observation of nonadiabatic transitions and splitting of the wave of matter caused by them. A number of computer simulations with parameters corresponding to real atoms have been performed, which exhibit this effect in both momentum and coordinate spaces.

DOI
10.1134/s0030400x1301027x

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Diffraction of atomic wave packets from a standing laser wave with a Gaussian profile is studied theoretically and numerically in pursuing the aim of creating high-resolution spatial structures in optical nanolithography. To this end, we propose to use nonadiabatic transitions between two optical potentials which take place when square of the value of detuning off the resonance is approximately equal to the Doppler shift. In this case, atomic wave packets experience splitting at nodes of the standing wave, which allows creating atomic structures on a substrate with a period substantially smaller than the standard nanofabrication limit equal to half the wavelength of light. We propose a scheme of the experiment for the observation of nonadiabatic transitions and splitting of the wave of matter caused by them. A number of computer simulations with parameters corresponding to real atoms have been performed, which exhibit this effect in both momentum and coordinate spaces.
Atomic beam splitter needs for the practical realization of nano-scale lithography by coherent scattering of the atoms. We consider the different types of atomic beam splitters, which could be used for the creation of the space structures with nano-scale period. We concentrate to a few main schemes of an interaction between an atom beam and optical radiation, which can produce a large angle splitting of atom beam into only two main momentum components: multi Bragg scattering an atom wave packet in standing wave; coherent splitting by scattering of an atom wave packet in standing wave with modulated intensity, when the intensity of the standing wave changes harmonically. We discuss also the experimental possibility of an atom selection in internal states for obtaining of space periodical structure with high clearance.
We demonstrate a coherent atomic beam splitter for metastable helium atoms, based on the diffraction of atomic matter waves from a blazed phase grating. The beam splitter is created by driving the two transitions of a three-level V system with differentially detuned standing light waves that have a relative spatial phase shift of pi/2. The light f ields create a potential that is approximately triangular as a function of position in the laser field. Splittings of 38 times the photon momentum have been observed.
The long range goal of this project was the creation of nanostructures using light fields to manipulate atoms. By passing an atomic beam through one or more standing wave light fields, it is possible to create modulations in the atomic density having periods which are a fraction of the period of the standing wave light fields. Patterns having periods as small as lambda/10 were observed using optical masks and clear evidence for matter-wave effects were established. Several theoretical methods for achieving sub-lambda matter wave patterns were developed, Moreover it was shown that it is possible to create optical lattices having reduced periodicity using Raman transitions in a novel atom-field geometry Experiments were carried out in both magneto-optical traps and atomic beams. In both experimental set-ups, pulsed standing wave optical fields were used to excite the atoms. At some later time the atoms were probed by a traveling wave field, revealing the spatial patterns that had evolved as a result of the atom-field interaction.
We study theoretically the diffraction of atoms by a standing-wave light field. Conceptually the text is divided into two parts. In the first part we deal with the coherent interaction only. We use a band theoretical approach to describe the laser-atom interaction, and to characterize two-beam resonances (Dopplerons and Bragg resonances). These two-beam resonances are major candidates to develop effective atom beam splitters. We study the interaction with classical light fields as well as with quantum fields. In the second part we take incoherent processes, i.e. spontaneous emission, into account and present a numerical scheme for the solution of the generalized optical Bloch equations. This scheme is based on the split-operator technique, and we use it to study numerically the influence of spontaneous emission on the diffraction process. We compare our results with recent experimental data, and investigate the impact of spontaneous emission on the performance of two-beam resonances.
Highly parallel and periodically narrow lines of ytterbium (Yb) atoms were successfully produced on a substrate using a near resonant laser light and direct-write atomic nanofabrication. Yb atoms are a promising material for nanofabrication using atom optics particularly due to their electric conductivity, the laser wavelength required for their manipulation, and the vapor pressure required for their fabrication. Collimated 174Yb atoms were channeled into the nodes of an optical standing wave with dipole force and then deposited onto a substrate. We clearly observed a grating pattern of Yb atoms fabricated on a substrate with a line separation of approximately 200 nm after examining the surface of the substrate with an atomic force microscope. This is the first demonstration of nanofabrication using the atom-optical approach with Yb atoms.