Diffraction of atoms by light: The near-resonant Kapitza-Dirac effect
Abstract
We have observed the Kapitza-Dirac effect in the scattering of sodium atoms by a nearly resonant standing-wave laser field. The data clearly show diffraction peaks of the atomic momentum transfer at even multiples of the photon momentum. Theoretical predictions for an off-resonant, adiabatic interaction with a two-state system are in reasonable agreement with the data.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- February 1986
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.56.827
- Bibcode:
- 1986PhRvL..56..827G
- Keywords:
-
- Atomic Interactions;
- Dirac Equation;
- Laser Target Interactions;
- Momentum Transfer;
- Quantum Mechanics;
- Wave Diffraction;
- Neutral Atoms;
- Optical Resonance;
- Standing Waves;
- Atomic and Molecular Physics;
- 32.80.-t;
- Photon interactions with atoms