DOI: 10.1051/jp2:1994108
J. Phys. II France 4 (1994) 1877-1896
A modulated mirror for atomic interferometry
C. Henkel1, A. M. Steane2, R. Kaiser1 and J. Dalibard21 Institut d'Optique Théorique et Appliquée, Unité de recherche associée au CNRS, Bâtiment 503, Centre Scientifique d'Orsay, 91403 Orsay Cedex, France
2 Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel, Unité de recherche de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure et de l'Université Pierre et Marie Curie, associée au CNRS, 24 rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
(Received 22 June 1994, received and accepted 7 September 1994)
Abstract
A novel atomic beam splitter, using reflection of atoms off an evanescent light wave, is investigated theoretically. The intensity
or frequency of the light is modulated in order to create sidebands on the reflected de Broglie wave. The weights and phases
of the various sidebands are calculated using three different approaches: the Born approximation, a semiclassical path integral
approach, and a numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We show how this modulated mirror could be
used to build practical atomic interferometers.
© Les Editions de Physique 1994