Atomic interference in grazing incidence diffraction from an evanescent wave mirror

Authors
Cognet, L Savalli, V Horvath, GZK Holleville, D Marani, R Wiestbrook, N Westbrook, CI Aspect, A
Citation
L. Cognet et al., Atomic interference in grazing incidence diffraction from an evanescent wave mirror, PHYS REV L, 81(23), 1998, pp. 5044-5047
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
ISSN journal
00319007 → ACNP
Volume
81
Issue
23
Year of publication
1998
Pages
5044 - 5047
Database
ISI
SICI code
0031-9007(199812)81:23<5044:AIIGID>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
We report an experiment showing that atomic diffraction at grazing incidenc e from an evanescent wave mirror results from polarization gradients in the evanescent wave which induce transitions among atomic internal states. The resulting grating can produce large angle coherent beam splittings. We als o demonstrate atomic interference in the form of a Stuckelberg oscillation in the diffraction efficiency which is very sensitive to the atom wall van der Waals potential. [S0031-9007(98)07831-4].