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Physical Review Letters

Bragg scattering of atoms from a standing light wave

Peter J. Martin, Bruce G. Oldaker, A. H. Miklich, David E. Pritchard

Published Feb 1, 1988• 377 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the first observation of Bragg scattering of sodium atoms from a standing light wave. We also present a theory which quantitatively predicts the amplitude of the various Bragg orders as a function of the light's detuning and power, and the interaction time. The analog of the Pendello$uml---sung effect, previously observed in Bragg scattering of neutrons from crystals, is predicted and qualitatively observed for first-order Bragg scattering of atoms from a standing light wave.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.60.515

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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•May 1, 1997•0 citations
We report the first observation of Bragg scattering of sodium atoms from a standing light wave. We also present a theory which quantitatively predicts the amplitude of the various Bragg orders as a function of the light's detuning and power, and the interaction time. The analog of the Pendello$uml---sung effect, previously observed in Bragg scattering of neutrons from crystals, is predicted and qualitatively observed for first-order Bragg scattering of atoms from a standing light wave.
Bragg scattering of atoms from a standing light wave exhibits Pendellösung oscillations in the scattering probability. For second-order scattering, we have recently observed significant deviation of the oscillation frequency from the prediction for a pure four-photon-type process. To give a quantitative explanation for this behaviour, we present an analytical calculation which takes into account lowest energy momentum states. Our calculation suggests that a transition between a four-photon-type process at low light intensity to a two-photon-type process at higher light intensity is responsible for this behaviour.
Slow atoms from a magneto-optical trap are used to study diffraction from a near-resonant standing-wave light field. Long interaction times make it possible to observe unidirectional Bragg scattering. In particular, the Pendellösung interference effect between two resonant momentum states is demonstrated for first- and second-order diffraction. The oscillation frequency of second-order scattering shows a transition from a four-photon–type process at low light intensity to a two-photon–type process at higher intensity. The data are in quantitative agreement with a theoretical description which takes into account lowest-energy momentum states.
Slow atoms from a magneto-optical trap are used to study difiraction from a near-resonant standing-wave light fleld. Long interaction times make it possible to observe unidirectional Bragg scattering. In particular, the Pendellosung interference efiect between two resonant momentum states is demonstrated for flrst- and second-order difiraction. The oscillation frequency of second-order scattering shows a transition from a four-photon{type process at low light intensity to a two-photon{type process at higher intensity. The data are in quantitative agreement with a theoretical description which takes into account lowest-energy momentum states.
We study up to the sixth order of Bragg deflection of metastable neon atoms from a standing light wave, corresponding to a momentum transfer of 12\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k. We derive an analytical result for the scattering probability, suitable for arbitrarily high Bragg order, and demonstrate its agreement with experimental results. We investigate the effect of velocity distribution on the Bragg process and show that overlapping diffraction orders can be resolved in velocity space. The prospect of using Bragg scattering as the optics in a Mach-Zehnder style atom interferometer with large splitting is discussed.
The diffraction of sodium atoms from a standing wave of near-resonant light is studied as a function of the atomic velocity component along the k vector of the wave. A simple theory is presented which quantitatively predicts the observed diffraction patterns and the decrease of the rms momentum transfer to the atoms with increasing velocity. This decrease results from the dephasing between the two counterpropagating traveling waves due to the first-order Doppler shift. In addition, these measurements have resolved the previous discrepancy between theory and experiment concerning the overall momentum transferred by a standing wave.