Physica Scripta
Generalized Bloch states of a two-level atom in the field of counterpropagating waves: application to the Kapitza–Dirac diffraction problem
G. A. Muradyan, Atom Zh. Muradyan
Abstract
The Bloch-state approach to atomic translational states is extended out of adiabatic following and Raman–Nath approximations, taking into account the possible transfer of population from the initially populated internal energy level. The presented theory suggests a notion of potential energy corresponding to the initially populated internal state, and makes a generalization in the treatment of energy spectrum band-gap structure. Applying the theory to off-resonant Kapitza–Dirac diffraction and two-pulse standing wave atom interferometer (for the study of non-coherent processes in the cold atomic gases) we discuss the ability of the present approach for large-angle split multipath atom interferometry.