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Quantum-Atom Optics Downunder (QAO)

Schlieren Nanoscope in Atom Optics

Jules Grucker, J.‐C. Karam, Valerij Bočvarski, F. Perales, G. Dutier, J. Baudon, M. Ducloy

Published Jan 1, 2007• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

One proposes the equivalent of Schlieren photography in atom interferometry. It is based on van der Waals inelastic diffraction by a material surface, in which the atom internal state (i.e., Zeeman sublevel) is modified by the surface interaction. Inelastic diffraction by two close wires, or the two surfaces of a slit, leads to non-localised atom interferences, the amplitude of which is sensitive to van der Waals interactions in the nanometer range. Implementation of this atom nanoscope on cooled metastable Ar* beam will be presented.

DOI
10.1364/qao.2007.qwd1

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One proposes the equivalent of Schlieren photography in atom interferometry. It is based on van der Waals inelastic diffraction by a material surface, in which the atom internal state (i.e., Zeeman sublevel) is modified by the surface interaction. Inelastic diffraction by two close wires, or the two surfaces of a slit, leads to non-localised atom interferences, the amplitude of which is sensitive to van der Waals interactions in the nanometer range. Implementation of this atom nanoscope on cooled metastable Ar* beam will be presented.
Atom-surface interactions are becoming an integral part of the field of atom optics. Here the role of van der Waals atom-surface interactions in atom wave diffraction and interferometry are investigated. In particular, it is shown that van der Waals interactions influence the intensity and phase of atomic diffraction patterns obtained from material gratings. As a result the atomic diffraction patterns are utilized to make an accurate determination of the interaction strength and verify the spatial variation of the atom-surface potential. A theory for describing the modified atom wave diffraction patterns is developed through an analogy with optical waves. An atom interferometer is used to directly measure the de Broglie wave phase shift induced by atom-surface interactions. More specifically, the phases of the zeroth, first, and second diffraction orders are measured. A proposal for using electromagnetic fields to modify the van der Waals interaction is put forth. Several of the important experimental components for observing such an effect are also demonstrated.
We analyze the possibilities of approaching atom-surface interactions through their contribution to the atomic matter de Broglie wave phase, in an interferometer based on an evanescent light atomic mirror. The surface interactions produce an additional phase shift that is evaluated to a few times \ensuremath{\pi} for a neon atom in a metastable state. We propose and investigate an experimental procedure that uses the principles of polarization (for instance, Stern-Gerlach) interferometers in order to monitor these long-range interactions (van der Waals, Casimir-Polder, etc.) between a ground-state or metastable-state atom and either a metallic or a dielectric surface. Our approach gives access to the differential phase shift between Zeeman sublevels, and should then be sensitive to an eventual anisotropy of the atom-surface interaction.
The paper presents an experiment based on an efficient coupling between atomic Zeeman states (for atoms with internal angular momentum) allowed by the quadrupolar component of the surface- induced van der Waals (vdW) interaction. This exo-energetic "vdW - Zeeman" transition provides a tuneable (magnetic field intensity dependent) beam splitter that was theoretically illustrated by the simplest possible interferometer: an atomic counterpart of Fresnel biprism. The velocity - adjustable atomic beam is here coming across two opposite surfaces (single slit of a nano-grating). For a transverse coherent radius large enough, the atom wave packet is strongly inelastically diffracted by the two opposite surfaces at some distances from the slit to yield non localised interference fringes. The calculation has been done for Ar metastable atoms with a grating of 100 nm period and different velocities of the atoms (560 to 10 m/s). Via the interference pattern (Schlieren image), this device should give access to such novel information as the oscillating part of the complex vdW - interaction transition amplitude. This simplest configuration is not sensitive to inertial effect. As a next step, a loop - closing transmission grating was added to realize a new type of compact interferometer.
After a brief introduction to the field of atom optics and to atomic mirrors, we present experimental results obtained in our group during the last two years while studying the reflection of rubidium atoms by an evanescent wave. These involve the first measurement of the van der Waals force between an atom in its ground state and a dielectric wall, as well as the demonstration of a reflection grating for atoms at normal incidence. We also consider the influence of quantum reflection and tunnelling phenomena. Further studies using the atomic mirror as a probe of the van der Waals interaction, and of very small surface roughness are briefly discussed.
Do van der Waals interactions determine the smallest nanostructures that can be used for atom optics? This question is studied with regard to the problem of designing an atom interferometer with optimum sensitivity to de Broglie wave phase shifts. The optimum sensitivity to acceleration and rotation rates is also considered. For these applications we predict that nanostructures with a period smaller than 40 nm will cause atom interferometers to perform poorly because van der Waals interactions adversely affect how nanostructure gratings work as beam-splitters.
In atom optics a material structure is commonly regarded as an amplitude mask for atom waves. However, atomic diffraction patterns formed using material gratings indicate that material structures also operate as phase masks. In this study a well collimated beam of sodium atoms is used to illuminate a silicon nitride grating with a period of 100 nm. During passage through the grating slots atoms acquire a phase shift due to the van der Waals interaction with the grating walls. As a result the relative intensities of the matter-wave diffraction peaks deviate from those expected for a purely absorbing grating. Thus a complex transmission function is required to explain the observed diffraction envelopes. An optics perspective to the theory of atomic diffraction from material gratings is put forth in the hopes of providing a more intuitive picture concerning the influence of the vdW potential. The van der Waals coefficient C3=2.7±0.8meVnm3C_{3} = 2.7\pm 0.8{meV nm}^{3}C3​=2.7±0.8meVnm3 is determined by fitting a modified Fresnel optical theory to the experimental data. This value of C3C_{3}C3​ is consistent with a van der Waals interaction between atomic sodium and a silicon nitride surface.