Momentum transfer to atoms by a standing light wave: Transition from diffraction to diffusion

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Abstract
Momentum transfer to atoms by a standing light wave is measured in the presence of spontaneous decay. As the number of spontaneous decays is increased, the well-known Kapitza-Dirac diffractive structure observed in the absence of spontaneous decay evolves into a smooth diffusive pattern. Theoretical treatments based on a diffusive model adequately describe the rms momentum transfers and the envelopes of the momentum distributions. However, we observe significant persistence of diffractive structure at our long interaction times and find that details of the deflection profiles are accurately predicted only when several spontaneous decays occur during the interaction.