Numéro
J. Phys. II France
Volume 4, Numéro 11, November 1994
Page(s) 1877 - 1896
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jp2:1994108
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. Dalibard2

1  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.



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