Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics

Atomic beam focusing by a near-field atomic microlens

V. I. Balykin, Vladimir G. Minogin, S. N. Rudnev

Published Nov 1, 2006• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Atomic beam focusing by an atomic microlens formed by the optical field diffracted from a circular aperture in a metallic screen is considered for an aperture diameter smaller than the wavelength of the field. Analytic expressions are derived for the dipole gradient force acting on an atom in the field of diffracted radiation. It is shown that the action of the gradient force makes it possible to focus the atomic beam into a spot with a diameter on the order of a few nanometers. Numerical estimates are obtained for the focusing properties of the atomic microlens in the model describing the dipole interaction of Rb atoms with laser radiation in the vicinity of the D line.

DOI
10.1134/s1063776106110021

Related papers

Focusing of an atomic beam by a Fresnel atom microlens

V. I. Balykin, Vladimir G. Minogin

Focusing of an atomic beam by a Fresnel atom microlens formed by an optical field diffracted by an aperture whose size is comparable to or greater than the radiation wavelength is considered. It is shown that the dipole gradient force enables one to focus the atomic beam to a spot of about 10 nm in diameter. The focusing properties of a Fresnel atom microlens are analyzed within a model describing the dipole interaction of rubidium atoms with monochromatic radiation near the D -line.

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics•Oct 1, 2007•1 citation

Focusing of atomic beams by near-field atom microlenses: The Bethe-type and the Fresnel-type microlenses

V. I. Balykin, Vladimir G. Minogin

We analyze focusing of atomic beams by the atom near-field microlenses produced by the laser fields diffracted on the apertures in the metallic screens. Analysis of the focusing properties of the atom microlenses is given in a model describing dipole interaction of atoms with a far-off-resonance laser light. Two types of the atom microlenses are considered: The Bethe-type microlens with aperture less than the light wavelength and the Fresnel-type microlens with aperture about the wavelength. It is shown that both types of the atom microlenses are able to produce strong dipole gradient forces which can focus the atomic beams. However, while the Bethe-atom microlens is able to produce sharp focusing of the beams the Fresnel-atom microlens possesses weak focusing property due to high anharmonicity of the gradient force. We conclude that the Bethe-atom microlens can be considered as a promising tool of the atom optics potentially able to focus atomic beams into spot sizes about nanometers.

Physical Review A•Jan 2, 2008•7 citations

Laser-near-field-based Atomic Lens: Quantum Wave Optics Consideration

В. В. Климов, Vladilen S Letokhov

This paper examines the focusing of an atomic beam by the near field of laser radiation diffracted by a small aperture. The wave properties of the atom are taken into consideration within the framework of an approximate Schrödinger equation. The possibility is demonstrated of focusing an atomic beam into a spot some 3 nm across, the atomic and laser beam characteristics being quite acceptable. The main contribution to the spot size is shown to be from spherical aberrations and diffraction effects, the chromatic aberrations of the atomic beam with a 5% velocity distribution broadening having a lesser effect.

Journal of Modern Optics•Jul 1, 1995•5 citations

Laser near rield lens for atoms

V. I. Balykin, В. В. Климов, Vladilen S Letokhov

We suggest and examine an atom optics focusing element based on the near field arising in the diffraction of laser radiation by an aperture of small size (less than an optical wavelength) in a thin conducting screen. The quasi-resonant interaction potential of the atom and the near field is found to be close to the potential of the ideal lens. Within the quasi-classical dynamics of atoms we consider the role of chromatic, spherical aberration. Taking the diffraction aberrations into account we find that it is possible to focus atoms into spot with radius 4-7 nm.

Journal de Physique II•Nov 1, 1994•14 citations

Diffractive lens for matter-wave beams

Renat R. Letfullin, Thomas F. George

A simple focusing device is proposed for de Broglie matter-waves - a diffractive lens, based on the optical effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of radiation. This matter-wave lens consists of two co-axial circular apertures in which the second aperture of smaller diameter is located where the Fresnel number of the first aperture is unity. It is shown that diffraction of a de Broglie matter wave by a system of two pinholes on an optical axis exhibits the multifocal focusing effect of matter waves in the near-field (Fresnel) zone. The focusing, defocusing and refocusing phenomenon is explained as resulting from periodic phase changes at singular points, which are points where the intensity is zero and the phase is undefined. It is shown that the proposed matter-wave lens could create a very intense, spatially-localized beam of atoms. Theoretical predictions for the focusing efficiency of a neutral atomic beam by the diffractive lens are: the spot diameter is ~ 0.1 &mgr;m, the ratio of focal and incident intensities is ~ 15, the focal length of the diffractive lens is in the range ~ 0.13.6 cm, the focusing depth is in the range ~ 15.30 cm, and the energy transmitting efficiency is ~ 30%. For the relatively-large diameters of the pinholes, ⩾ 5.0 &mgr;m, the proposed configuration acts as a matter-wave lens with a large focal length and a long focusing depth.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Feb 8, 2007•2 citations

Laser focusing of atomic beams

Gregg M. Gallatin, P. L. Gould

The focusing of an atomic beam using near-resonant laser light is considered. Path-integral techniques are employed to transform the problem into a standard diffraction integral. This approach is general and allows us to deal with thick laser lenses. Starting from the basic form of the potential energy for an atom in a laser beam, we derive the propagation kernel for the atomic wave function for the particular case of a TEM01*, or doughnut, mode laser beam. Both the full three-dimensional propagation kernel and its paraxial approximation are discussed. We show that the paraxial case can be obtained from the three-dimensional case by a stationary-phase approximation of the propagation equation. Numerical results for the focusing of a Gaussian atomic beam are presented. These results show that spot diameters on the order of 20 Å are obtainable for many reasonable choices of laser and atomic beam parameters and that for most of these cases the thin-lens approximation is not valid. The effects of the lowest-order aberrations are also briefly discussed. Spherical aberration is found to contribute significantly to the focal spot diameter, at least for the doughnut mode laser beam considered here.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Mar 1, 1991•72 citations
Atomic beam focusing by an atomic microlens formed by the optical field diffracted from a circular aperture in a metallic screen is considered for an aperture diameter smaller than the wavelength of the field. Analytic expressions are derived for the dipole gradient force acting on an atom in the field of diffracted radiation. It is shown that the action of the gradient force makes it possible to focus the atomic beam into a spot with a diameter on the order of a few nanometers. Numerical estimates are obtained for the focusing properties of the atomic microlens in the model describing the dipole interaction of Rb atoms with laser radiation in the vicinity of the D line.
We analyze focusing of atomic beams by the atom near-field microlenses produced by the laser fields diffracted on the apertures in the metallic screens. Analysis of the focusing properties of the atom microlenses is given in a model describing dipole interaction of atoms with a far-off-resonance laser light. Two types of the atom microlenses are considered: The Bethe-type microlens with aperture less than the light wavelength and the Fresnel-type microlens with aperture about the wavelength. It is shown that both types of the atom microlenses are able to produce strong dipole gradient forces which can focus the atomic beams. However, while the Bethe-atom microlens is able to produce sharp focusing of the beams the Fresnel-atom microlens possesses weak focusing property due to high anharmonicity of the gradient force. We conclude that the Bethe-atom microlens can be considered as a promising tool of the atom optics potentially able to focus atomic beams into spot sizes about nanometers.
This paper examines the focusing of an atomic beam by the near field of laser radiation diffracted by a small aperture. The wave properties of the atom are taken into consideration within the framework of an approximate Schrödinger equation. The possibility is demonstrated of focusing an atomic beam into a spot some 3 nm across, the atomic and laser beam characteristics being quite acceptable. The main contribution to the spot size is shown to be from spherical aberrations and diffraction effects, the chromatic aberrations of the atomic beam with a 5% velocity distribution broadening having a lesser effect.
We suggest and examine an atom optics focusing element based on the near field arising in the diffraction of laser radiation by an aperture of small size (less than an optical wavelength) in a thin conducting screen. The quasi-resonant interaction potential of the atom and the near field is found to be close to the potential of the ideal lens. Within the quasi-classical dynamics of atoms we consider the role of chromatic, spherical aberration. Taking the diffraction aberrations into account we find that it is possible to focus atoms into spot with radius 4-7 nm.
A simple focusing device is proposed for de Broglie matter-waves - a diffractive lens, based on the optical effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of radiation. This matter-wave lens consists of two co-axial circular apertures in which the second aperture of smaller diameter is located where the Fresnel number of the first aperture is unity. It is shown that diffraction of a de Broglie matter wave by a system of two pinholes on an optical axis exhibits the multifocal focusing effect of matter waves in the near-field (Fresnel) zone. The focusing, defocusing and refocusing phenomenon is explained as resulting from periodic phase changes at singular points, which are points where the intensity is zero and the phase is undefined. It is shown that the proposed matter-wave lens could create a very intense, spatially-localized beam of atoms. Theoretical predictions for the focusing efficiency of a neutral atomic beam by the diffractive lens are: the spot diameter is ~ 0.1 &mgr;m, the ratio of focal and incident intensities is ~ 15, the focal length of the diffractive lens is in the range ~ 0.13.6 cm, the focusing depth is in the range ~ 15.30 cm, and the energy transmitting efficiency is ~ 30%. For the relatively-large diameters of the pinholes, ⩾ 5.0 &mgr;m, the proposed configuration acts as a matter-wave lens with a large focal length and a long focusing depth.
The focusing of an atomic beam using near-resonant laser light is considered. Path-integral techniques are employed to transform the problem into a standard diffraction integral. This approach is general and allows us to deal with thick laser lenses. Starting from the basic form of the potential energy for an atom in a laser beam, we derive the propagation kernel for the atomic wave function for the particular case of a TEM01*, or doughnut, mode laser beam. Both the full three-dimensional propagation kernel and its paraxial approximation are discussed. We show that the paraxial case can be obtained from the three-dimensional case by a stationary-phase approximation of the propagation equation. Numerical results for the focusing of a Gaussian atomic beam are presented. These results show that spot diameters on the order of 20 Å are obtainable for many reasonable choices of laser and atomic beam parameters and that for most of these cases the thin-lens approximation is not valid. The effects of the lowest-order aberrations are also briefly discussed. Spherical aberration is found to contribute significantly to the focal spot diameter, at least for the doughnut mode laser beam considered here.