Giant Quantum Reflection of Neon Atoms from Silicon Surface

Cohent reflection of a cold atomic beam with macroscopic dimension from a solid surface caused by attractive van der Waals potential has been studied experimentally. The reflectivity of an ultra-cold metastable neon atomic beam from a silicon surface was measured as a function of normal incident velocity. The reflectivity was shown to improve drastically when the flat surface was changed to a grating structure with narrow ridges. As an example of practical applications the atomic beam was manipulated by a reflective hologram encoded on the silicon surface.