Longitudinal atom optics using localized oscillating fields: A fully quantum-mechanical treatment

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We provide a fully quantal treatment of a beam of two-state particles interacting with temporally oscillating potentials, and propose a number of longitudinal atom optics devices. A single oscillatory potential, in coupling the two internal states, generally entangles each with a different longitudinal momentum. An oscillatory potential can also act as an amplitude modulator, creating momentum coherences within a single internal state. Two successive oscillatory fields (DSOF’s), if differentially detuned, can couple an initially monochromatic state to a coherent momentum superposition, or alternatively may be used to detect a pre-existing momentum superposition. DSOF’s can create amplitude modulation which, despite the presence of a broad velocity distribution, rephases at a selected distance downstream of the device. Phase modulation generates coherent momentum sidebands which can evolve into amplitude modulation at a particular location downstream.