Nanometer definition of atomic beams with masks of light

Abstract

We build amplitude, i.e., absorptive masks, for neutral atoms using light, reversing the roles of light and atoms as compared to conventional optics. These masks can be used both to create and to probe spatially well-defined atomic distributions. The resolution of these masks can be significantly better than the optical wavelength. Applications range from atom lithography to fundamental atom optical experiments.

Two-dimensional atom localization in a four-level tripod system in laser fields

“…Another method has been proposed by Thomas and co-workers [6][7][8] in which a spatially varying potential correlates an atomic resonance frequency with the atomic position. In addition, a few schemes for position measurement were performed, using absorption light masks [9][10][11] in which the precision of measurement achieved, was nearly tens of nanometers.…”

Diffraction of Complex Molecules by Structures Made of Light

“…Light may act as a real or imaginary index of refraction for matter waves and thus form a phase grating or an absorption grating. For atoms amplitude gratings can be based on various effects which lead to an effective spatially periodic depletion of relevant states of the atomic beam [5,6]. For example, the extraction of particles using ionization in a standing wave is conceivable.…”

Multiphoton absorption in optical gratings for matter waves

“…It is also employed in atomic experiments, e.g. to describe absorptive optical masks [4,7]. We consider the experimental situation where only ground-state molecules are detected in the end.…”

“…As demonstrated in atomic experiments, a pure phase grating can be realized in the far off-resonant case [30], with φ 0 ≈ −t L Ω 2 0 /4∆, and a pure absorptive grating in the resonant case [4,7], with n 0 = t L τ Ω We use a setup with L = 2LT grating separation, and f = 0.1 opening fraction for G1 and G3; only ground-state molecules are detected. The antinode intensity is chosen such that it amounts to an effective pulse length Ω0tL increasing from 2π to 8π in panels (b) to (e), respectively.…”

“…Motivated by experiments [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] that use a standing light field as diffraction element, we focus on the interaction between a standing-wave laser grating and a delocalized and internally complex molecule. It has been seen earlier that spontaneous emission, light scattering, or thermal radiation induced by an optical grating can lead to decoherence [10][11][12].…”