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Phys. Rev. A 56, R3350–R3353 (1997)

Quantum reflection from an atomic mirror

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B. Segev and R. Co⁁té
Institute for Theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics (ITAMP), Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

M. G. Raizen
Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1081

Received 31 July 1997; published in the issue dated November 1997

We calculate the reflection probability for ultracold atoms incident on an evanescent-wave atomic mirror, and analyze the optimum conditions to observe quantum reflection. We find that averaging over the Gaussian profile of the laser beam dramatically reduces the quantum signature, and consider the effects of an appropriate aperture that limits the variation of beam intensity. We show that quantum reflection is particularly sensitive to details of the atom-surface potential, and could be used to resolve retardation effects.

© 1997 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.56.R3350
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevA.56.R3350
PACS:
42.50.Vk, 34.20.-b
 
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