Constructing a light-field distribution for the laser guiding of atoms in photonic crystals

Numerical analysis based on the finite-difference time-domain simulation of the light-field distribution in a defect mode of a two-dimensional photoni c crystal demonstrates that, with an appropriate geometry of the defect in the photonic-crystal lattice, a potential permitting the laser guiding of a toms with blue-detuned radiation can be produced. The light field in a defe ct mode of a photonic crystal may decrease by nearly five orders of magnitu de on the subwavelength spatial scale, providing a very high localization d egree of atoms, which are pushed to the center of the defect due to the dip ole force. Simulations of atomic-field distribution and trajectories of ato ms in a defect mode of a photonic crystal show that the temperatures of ato ms guided by a light field in photonic crystals may be much higher than tem peratures characteristic of atoms guided in hollow-core fibers. (C) 2000 Pu blished by Elsevier Science B.V.