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Physics Today

Laser Optics of Neutral Atomic Beams

V. I. Balykin, Vladilen S Letokhov

Published Apr 1, 1989• 63 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In ordinary optics one exploits the interaction of radiation with matter to manipulate beams of light. One can also turn the tables and control beams of charged or neutral material particles through their interaction with light. There are deep analogies and similarities between these two sorts of optics, even though they involve very different kinds of interactions between matter and radiation. Perhaps one can exploit every such interaction for some kind of “optics”—controlling beams of photons or massive particles. In this article we will describe recent developments in the laser optics of atomic beams—how experimenters are using the radiation pressure of laser light to manipulate neutral atoms.

DOI
10.1063/1.881212

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In ordinary optics one exploits the interaction of radiation with matter to manipulate beams of light. One can also turn the tables and control beams of charged or neutral material particles through their interaction with light. There are deep analogies and similarities between these two sorts of optics, even though they involve very different kinds of interactions between matter and radiation. Perhaps one can exploit every such interaction for some kind of “optics”—controlling beams of photons or massive particles. In this article we will describe recent developments in the laser optics of atomic beams—how experimenters are using the radiation pressure of laser light to manipulate neutral atoms.
In the field of atom optics, there has been much interests in developing components such as lenses, mirrors, beam splitters and waveguides to manipulate neutral atoms. Especially many clever methods to focus neutral atoms have been developed. The lenses have been constructed using the static electrical and magnetic fields, Fresnel zone plates, and radiation pressure forces. Before the laser cooling and trapping techniques were invented, the electrostatic fields could not be used for manipulating neutral atoms because of its weak interaction energy with atoms. After the cold atoms were available, it has been possible to manipulate atoms with weak electrostatic interaction energy. We developed an atom lens system using electrostatic fields.
We present the results of an experimental investigation of the control of atomic beam motion by the light pressure of laser radiation. Collimation, focusing, and reflection of the atomic beam are considered. Collimation of the atomic beam is achieved by the interaction of laser radiation with atoms, when the light pressure force depends only on the atom’s velocity. A similar regime of atomic beam interaction with radiation was performed with transversal irradiation of a beam by the axis-symmetrical field. The axis-symmetrical field was formed by laser radiation reflected from the conical mirror surface of a reflecting axicon. The axis of the atomic beam coincided with that of the axicon. The collimation regime was reached under negative detuning of the laser radiation frequency from the atomic transition frequency by a value equal to several homogeneous widths. With positive detuning by the same value the regime of beam decollimation was observed.
Most scientists immediately associate optics with photons. Indeed optics, defined as the study of the properties of light, is one of the oldest fields of physics – dating back to the earliest civilisations – and is still a thriving area of research. But there is more to optics than light and lasers. “Matter wave” optics, where electrons and neutrons take the place of photons, began with the demonstration of the wave nature of the electron by G P Thomson, Davisson and Germer n the 1920s. Since then electron and neutron interferometers have been used in many beautiful experiments that have improved our understanding of quantum mechanics. Beams of electrons and neutrons have also become indispensable tools in the study of solids and surfaces. Therefore it was perhaps inevitable that one day physicists would be able to do optics with atoms – to coherently split, focus and refract beams of neutral atoms.
The capability of manipulating neutral atoms with the force of resonant scattered laser light is being exploited in several different areas of research. The author discusses applications in particle and nuclear physics by expediting some measurements of the subtle effects of the fundamental weak interaction in atoms and nuclei. It was shown in two recent experiments that it is possible to efficiently cool accelerator produced short-lived isotopes and load them into magneto-optic traps. These demonstrations open up new possibilities for obtaining the required precision in experiments involving rare radioactive isotopes.
The principal element in any sort of optics is a lens. It is essential to create laser field configurations capable of focusing neutral atomic beams. There are two possibilities for focusing an atomic beam by laser light: by using the gradient force or by using the light pressure force. The force effecting the focusing of an atom in a beam should be proportional to the atomic displacement. This criterion must be satisfied for the force to produce the true “image”: if this criteria is not met, the image is blurred, i.e. there are aberrations. An approach to treat the focusing of atomic beam by laser light is to use the path integral technique to calculate the evolution of atomic wave function as it propagates in laser field. A particle-optical approach also can be used for treatment of focusing of atoms by laser light. The quadratic radial dependence of the potential is a necessary condition for focusing of atoms.