EVANESCENT-WAVE DIFFRACTION OF MULTILEVEL ATOMS

Diffraction of multi-level atoms by an evanescent wave reflective diff raction grating is modeled by numerically solving the time-dependent S chrodinger equation. We are able to explain the diffraction observed i n experiments with metastable neon. This is not possible using a two-l evel atom model. The multi-level model predicts sensitive dependence o f diffraction on the laser polarization. For pure p-polarization of th e lasers a dark state forms. Associated with this is high order diffra ction.