LASER-NEAR-FIELD-BASED ATOMIC LENS - QUANTUM WAVE OPTICS CONSIDERATION

This paper examines the focusing of an atomic beam by the near field o f laser radiation diffracted by a small aperture. The wave properties of the atom are taken into consideration within the framework of an ap proximate Schrodinger equation. The possibility is demonstrated of foc using an atomic beam into a spot some 3 nm across, the atomic and lase r beam characteristics being quite acceptable. The main contribution t o the spot size is shown to be from spherical aberrations and diffract ion effects, the chromatic aberrations of the atomic beam with a 5% ve locity distribution broadening having a lesser effect.