TY - JOUR
T1 - Direct imaging of periodic subwavelength patterns generated by optical phase masks
AU - Tonyushkin, Alexei
AU - Sleator, Tycho
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - We have demonstrated direct imaging of interference fringes of total atomic density with periods λ/4 and λ/2 for optical wavelength λ that have been produced in a de Broglie wave atom interferometer. The imaging was done by means of an "optical mask" technique, which allowed us to observe subwavelength periodic patterns with a resolution of up to λ/16. In addition, the dependence of the fringe pattern on the recoil phase and pulse area reveals quantum dynamics in the atomic center-of-mass motion. The behavior of the fringe patterns near the interference times distinguishes the effects of phase gratings from those of amplitude gratings.
AB - We have demonstrated direct imaging of interference fringes of total atomic density with periods λ/4 and λ/2 for optical wavelength λ that have been produced in a de Broglie wave atom interferometer. The imaging was done by means of an "optical mask" technique, which allowed us to observe subwavelength periodic patterns with a resolution of up to λ/16. In addition, the dependence of the fringe pattern on the recoil phase and pulse area reveals quantum dynamics in the atomic center-of-mass motion. The behavior of the fringe patterns near the interference times distinguishes the effects of phase gratings from those of amplitude gratings.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.74.053615
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.74.053615
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33751119046
SN - 1050-2947
VL - 74
JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
IS - 5
M1 - 053615
ER -