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Quantum Electronics

Characteristics of the scattering of neutral atoms by two counterpropagating pulsed optical fields

V. A. Grinchuk, I. A. Grishina, E. F. Kuzin, M. L. Nagaeva, G. A. Ryabenko, Valery P. Yakovlev

Published Apr 30, 1994• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

The scattering of neutral sodium atoms by a strong field of two counterpropagating (incident on and reflected from a mirror) short laser pulses was used in an experimental investigation of a stimulated radiation pressure. The reasons for the anomalous frequency structure in the scattering of atoms were identified. The oscillatory nature of the dependence of the scattering on the detuning from resonance was found to be significant in strong laser radiation fields. The oscillation period depended on the distance between the reflecting mirror and the atomic beam.

DOI
10.1070/qe1994v024n04abeh000076

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In this paper we present some new results concerning the observed anomalous frequency properties of the process of the neutral atom scattering in the standing light wave field near the reflecting mirror. The investigations were carried out using the method of scattering of the sodium atomic strip beam, intersecting at right angle the region of the standing light wave field. The standing light wave field was formed by two counterpropagating waves of resonant laser radiation -- incident and reflected from the mirror, mounted at a distance of about 1 cm from the atomic beam. The coherence length of the laser radiation was about 10 cm, that's why the interaction of atoms with the field of two counterpropagating light waves was coherent. The width of the strip atomic beam (a equals 0.02 cm) was much less than the distance to the mirror. The specific feature of the given setup is the use of pulsed laser radiation with the duration (tau) less than 1/(gamma) ((gamma) -1- the time of resonant level spontaneous decay), so the atoms are scattered only due to the induced light pressure force. In this paper the detailed investigation of the distance R influence on the scattering process was carried out. With this purpose the mirror was mounted at different distances from the atomic beam. (truncated)

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Spectral and energy characteristics of four-photon parametric scattering in sodium vapor

V I Vaĭchaĭtis, M V Ignatavichyus, Vladimir A. Kudryashov +2 more

An analysis was made of four-photon interaction processes under conditions of two-photon resonance excitation of the 3 D sodium level by two-frequency radiation from a single-pulse picosecond YAG:Nd laser with frequency doubling and a KDP optical parametric oscillator. The spatial and frequency spectra of the four-photon parametric scattering (FPPS) were recorded and studied experimentally at various sodium vapor densities (10 15 –10 17 cm −3 ) and also using collinear and noncollinear excitation. It was found that the observed conical structure of the FPPS radiation may be interpreted by an analysis of whether the frequency and spatial phase-matching conditions were satisfied. Dependences of the intensity of the FPPS radiation on the intensity of the exciting radiation, the sodium vapor density, and the detuning of the exciting radiation frequency from the two-photon resonance were obtained.

Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics•Apr 30, 1987•7 citations
The scattering of neutral sodium atoms by a strong field of two counterpropagating (incident on and reflected from a mirror) short laser pulses was used in an experimental investigation of a stimulated radiation pressure. The reasons for the anomalous frequency structure in the scattering of atoms were identified. The oscillatory nature of the dependence of the scattering on the detuning from resonance was found to be significant in strong laser radiation fields. The oscillation period depended on the distance between the reflecting mirror and the atomic beam.
In this paper we present some new results concerning the observed anomalous frequency properties of the process of the neutral atom scattering in the standing light wave field near the reflecting mirror. The investigations were carried out using the method of scattering of the sodium atomic strip beam, intersecting at right angle the region of the standing light wave field. The standing light wave field was formed by two counterpropagating waves of resonant laser radiation -- incident and reflected from the mirror, mounted at a distance of about 1 cm from the atomic beam. The coherence length of the laser radiation was about 10 cm, that's why the interaction of atoms with the field of two counterpropagating light waves was coherent. The width of the strip atomic beam (a equals 0.02 cm) was much less than the distance to the mirror. The specific feature of the given setup is the use of pulsed laser radiation with the duration (tau) less than 1/(gamma) ((gamma) -1- the time of resonant level spontaneous decay), so the atoms are scattered only due to the induced light pressure force. In this paper the detailed investigation of the distance R influence on the scattering process was carried out. With this purpose the mirror was mounted at different distances from the atomic beam. (truncated)
A theoretical and experimental study is presented of the effect of stimulated radiation pressure (SRP) under the conditions of strong saturation of the resonance transition when the interaction times between the atom and the field are short (shorter than the radiative lifetime). An experimental method for studying the scattering of an atomic beam by the field of a standing light wave is described. The measured dependence of the scattering efficiency on the electric field and the detuning from resonance are reported. Experimental relationships are compared with theoretical calculations based on the quasi-classical description of the motion of atoms in the field of a light wave, using an effective potential. It is shown that the efficiency of scattering of atoms by SRP forces is of the order of unity in relatively weak (100–1000-V/cm) laser 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.
In this thesis, the use of pulsed laser fields to control the center-of-mass motion of neutral atoms and molecules is studied both numerically and experimentally. In particular, we consider the use of a pulsed standing wave for the deflection of atomic beams, and develop novel types of mirrors for applications in atom and molecule optics. The research work shows that pulsed laser fields can be applied to form efficient mirrors for neutral particles regardless of the details of their internal energy-level structure. Moreover, it is shown that pulsed standing waves can also be utilized to efficiently deflect atomic beams. In the first part of the thesis, we study the effects of phase fluctuations of the laser field on the momentum distribution of atoms after interaction with a standing wave. Our numerical simulations show that the coherence properties of the laser field play a major role in diffraction of atoms, especially when using pulsed lasers. It turns out that the effects caused by the limited coherence time of the optical field are clearly observable as a transfer of atoms in momentum space to the region around zero momentum rather than to high momentum states. The numerical analysis of the pulsed standing-wave diffraction was complemented by experimental measurements of the deflection profiles of a beam of thermal sodium atoms. The experimental distributions were measured for a value of the coherence time intermediate between the Rabi period and the interaction time. A comparison of the results with an expected distribution calculated for a fully coherent interaction shows that the phase fluctuations of the light field drastically affect the achievable transverse momentum values. Based on our theoretical and experimental analysis of the diffraction profiles, we conclude that large deflection angles can be reached only when laser pulses with a Fourier-limited bandwidth are applied. The second part of the thesis concentrates on the development of pulsed mirrors for neutral atoms and molecules. In particular, we consider the use of an evanescent wave, formed in total internal reflection of light on a vacuum-dielectric interface, and of a standing wave as possible mirror configurations. Our numerical simulations of the pulsed evanescent-wave mirror show that atoms with initial velocities up to several tens of meters per second can be reflected already at the moderate field intensities of a few tens of MW/cm2. This allows pulsed evanescent waves to be applied in a compact setup to control the motion of thermal atomic beams, for which the traditional atom mirrors are suited only at grazing incidence. However, since the effective interaction volume of the atomic beam and the laser field is limited by the short decay length of the evanescent wave, only a relatively small number of atoms can be reflected with a single laser pulse. Furthermore, the reflection is always inelastic, since the force exerted on the atoms varies as a function of the initial position of the particles. To solve the above problem we consider the use of a standing wave as a pulsed mirror for atoms. Our numerical simulations show that with a proper choice of the pulse duration and field intensity, each period of the standing-wave pattern functions as an elastic mirror for particles with an initial kinetic energy below the depth of the standing-wave potential. Hence, the standing-wave pattern acts as a long row of independent atom mirrors, which provides a novel route to controlling large volumes of fast atoms even with a single laser pulse. As a second application for the pulsed standing-wave mirror we consider the reflection of slow molecules, for which no efficient mirror configuration previously has been available. It is shown that pulsed standing waves of nonresonant frequencies can be used to efficiently manipulate large volumes of rotationally cold molecules. With a suitable choice of the parameter values, the molecules can be reflected nearly elastically, or with a tailored momentum distribution. This opens up a possibility to use the pulsed standing-wave mirror to control the motion of particles in various applications of atomic and molecular physics. Such a mirror could be applied, for example, to steer and image molecular beams, separate molecular species, and to form pulsed molecular beams.
An analysis was made of four-photon interaction processes under conditions of two-photon resonance excitation of the 3 D sodium level by two-frequency radiation from a single-pulse picosecond YAG:Nd laser with frequency doubling and a KDP optical parametric oscillator. The spatial and frequency spectra of the four-photon parametric scattering (FPPS) were recorded and studied experimentally at various sodium vapor densities (10 15 –10 17 cm −3 ) and also using collinear and noncollinear excitation. It was found that the observed conical structure of the FPPS radiation may be interpreted by an analysis of whether the frequency and spatial phase-matching conditions were satisfied. Dependences of the intensity of the FPPS radiation on the intensity of the exciting radiation, the sodium vapor density, and the detuning of the exciting radiation frequency from the two-photon resonance were obtained.