Atom optics

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The use of laser light and nanofabricated structures to manipulate the motion of atoms in the same manner that rudimentary optical elements control light. The term refers to both an outlook in which atoms in atomic beams are thought of and manipulated like photons in light beams, and a collection of demonstrated techniques for doing such manipulation. Two types of atom optics elements have existed for some time: slits and holes used to collimate molecular beams (the analog of the pinhole camera), and focusing lenses for atoms and molecules (for example, hexapole magnets and quadrupole electrostatic lenses). However, in the 1980s the collection of optical elements for atoms expanded dramatically because of the use of near-resonant laser light and fabricated structures to make several types of mirrors as well as diffraction gratings. The diffraction gratings are particularly interesting because they exploit and demonstrate the (de Broglie) wave nature of atoms in a clear fashion. See also Laser.

Diffraction gratings

Diffraction gratings for atoms have been made by using either a standing wave of light or a slotted membrane. The standing light wave makes a phase grating (that is, it advances or retards alternate sections of the incident wavefront but does not absorb any of the atom wave), so that the transmitted intensity is high. This approach requires the complexity of a single-mode laser, and introduces the complication that the light acts differently on the various hyperfine states of the atom. The slotted membrane, however, absorbs (or backscatters) atoms which strike the grating bars, but does not significantly alter the phase of the transmitted atoms; it is therefore an amplitude grating. It works for any atom or molecule, regardless of internal quantum state, but with total transmission limited to about 40% by the opacity of the grating bars and requisite support structure. See also Diffraction grating.

Atom interferometers

Atom interferometers have been demonstrated through several different experimental routes, involving both microscopic fabricated structures and laser beams. These interferometers are the first examples of optical systems composed of the elements of atom optics like those discussed above. Atom interferometers, like optical interferometers, are well suited for application to a wide range of fundamental and applied scientific problems. Scientific experiments with atom interferometers divide naturally into three major categories: measurements of atomic and molecular properties, fundamental tests and demonstrations, and inertial effects. See also Frame of reference; Interference of waves; Interferometry; Optics.

Atom optics (or atomic optics) is the area of physics which deals with beams of cold, slowly moving neutral atoms, as a special case of a particle beam.

Like an optical beam, the atomic beam may exhibit diffraction and interference, and can be focused with a Fresnel zone plate ^[1] or a concave atomic mirror .^[2]

Several scientific groups work in this field ^[3] .^{[4] [5]}

Until 2006, the resolution of imaging systems based on atomic beams was not better than that of an optical microscope, mainly due to the poor performance of the focusing elements. Such elements use small numerical aperture; usually, atomic mirrors use grazing incidence, and the reflecticity drops drastically with increase of the grazing angle; for efficient normal reflection, atoms should be ultra-cold (Bose-Einstein Condensate), and the deal with such atoms likes a trapping rather than an optics.

Recent scientific publications about Atom Nano-Optics, evanescent field lenses ^[6] and ridged mirrors ^[7][8] show significant improvement since the beginning of the 21st century. In particular, an atomic hologram can be realized ^[9]

An extensive review article "Optics and interferometry with atoms and molecules" appeared in July 2009.^[10]

More bibliography about Atom Optics can be found at the Resource Letter.^[11]

See also

• Atomic mirror (physics)
• Quantum reflection
• Ridged mirror
• Atomic nanoscope

References

1. ^ R.B.Doak; R.E.Grisenti, S.Rehbein, G.Schmahl, J.P.Toennies, and Ch. Wöll (1999). "Towards Realization of an Atomic de Broglie Microscope: Helium Atom Focusing Using Fresnel Zone Plates". PRL 83 (21): 4229–4232. Bibcode 1999PhRvL..83.4229D. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.83.4229. http://www.atomwave.org/rmparticle/ao%20refs/aifm%20refs%20sorted%20by%20topic/nano-structures/fesnell%20zone%20plates/DGR99.pdf. 
2. ^ J.J.Berkhout; O.J.Luiten, I.D.Setija, T.W.Hijmans, T.Mizusaki, and J.T.M.Walraven (1989). "Quantum reflection: Focusing of hydrogen atoms with a concave mirror". Physical Review Letters 63 (16): 1689–1692. Bibcode 1989PhRvL..63.1689B. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.63.1689. PMID 10040645. 
3. ^ Atom Optics at the University of Queensland (Australia) homepage http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/atomoptics/
4. ^ Atom Optics, Coherence and Ultra Cold Atoms at the Institute for Laser Science (Japan) homepage http://www.ils.uec.ac.jp/Eatomoptics.html
5. ^ Atom Optics at the University College Cork (Ireland) homepage http://www.physics.ucc.ie/nicchormaic/
6. ^ V.Balykin, V.Klimov, and V.Letokhov. OPN, March 2005, p.44-48; http://www.osa-opn.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPN-16-3-44
7. ^ H.Oberst; D.Kouznetsov, K.Shimizu, J.Fujita, and F. Shimizu (2005). "Fresnel Diffraction Mirror for an Atomic Wave". PRL 94 (1): 013203. Bibcode 2005PhRvL..94a3203O. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.013203. http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=PRLTAO000094000001013203000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes. 
8. ^ D.Kouznetsov; H. Oberst, K. Shimizu, A. Neumann, Y. Kuznetsova, J.-F. Bisson, K. Ueda, S. R. J. Brueck (2006). "Ridged atomic mirrors and atomic nanoscope". JOPB 39 (7): 1605–1623. Bibcode 2006JPhB...39.1605K. doi:10.1088/0953-4075/39/7/005. http://stacks.iop.org/0953-4075/39/1605. 
9. ^ Shimizu; J. Fujita (2002). "Reflection-Type Hologram for Atoms". Physical Review Letters 88 (12): 123201. Bibcode 2002PhRvL..88l3201S. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.123201. PMID 11909457. 
10. ^ Cronin, Alexander D.; Jörg Schmiedmayer, David E. Pritchard (2009). "Optics and interferometry with atoms and molecules". Reviews of Modern Physics 81 (3): 1051. Bibcode 2009RvMP...81.1051C. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.81.1051. http://www.atomwave.org/rmparticle/RMPLAO.pdf. 
11. ^ . Bibcode 2007AmJPh..75..394R. doi:10.1119/1.2673209. 

• Atomic and Optical Science Researchers at the University of Arizona: http://www.atomwave.org.
• Pierre Meystre. Atom Optics ASIN 0387952748
• F, Schmidt-Kaler; T Pfau, P Schmelcher and W Schleich (2010). "Focus on Atom Optics and its Applications". New Journal of Physics 12 (6): 065014. Bibcode 2010NJPh...12f5014S. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/12/6/065014. 

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