Specular reflection of matter waves from a rough mirror
Atomic Physics
2009-11-07 v1 Optics
Abstract
We have made a high resolution study of the specularity of the atomic reflection from an evanescent wave mirror using velocity selective Raman transitions. We have observed a double structure in the velocity distribution after reflection: a peak consistent with specular reflection and a diffuse reflection pedestal, whose contribution decreases rapidly with increasing detuning. The diffuse reflection is due to two distinct effects: spontaneous emission in the evanescent wave and a roughness in the evanescent wave potential whose amplitude is smaller than the de Broglie wavelength of the reflected atoms.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0202059,
title = {Specular reflection of matter waves from a rough mirror},
author = {V. Savalli and D. Stevens and J. Esteve and P. D. Featonby and V. Josse and N. Westbrook. C. I. Westbrook and A. Aspect},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0202059},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters