Magnetic coherence gratings in a high-flux atomic beam

• Published in: The European physical journal. D, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, 2010-05, Vol.58 (1), p.39-46
• Main Authors: Tonyushkin, A., Kumarakrishnan, A., Turlapov, A., Sleator, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applications of Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos Theory; Atom, molecule and ion trapping and colling methods; Atomic; Atomic and molecular physics; Atomic Physics; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Mechanical control of atoms, molecules and ions; Molecular; Optical and Plasma Physics; Optical transient phenomena: quantum beats, photon echo, free-induction decay, dephasings and revivals, optical nutation and self-induced transparency; Optics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Information Technology; Quantum optics; Quantum Physics; Spectroscopy/Spectrometry; Spintronics
• ISSN: 1434-6060; 1434-6079
• DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2010-00085-8

Magnetic coherence gratings have been created in a thermal beam of rubidium atoms. The coherence gratings involve superposition of magnetic sublevels of a single hyperfine ground state. These gratings are created via interaction with a single pulse that drives a two-photon transition between magnetic sublevels of the ground state. After the grating dephases due to the velocity distribution of the atoms, it is revived by the action of a second pulse, an effect that is similar to a photon echo. Such experiment is a first step toward generating periodic atomic structures using a high-flux atomic beam. Here, we present the experimental results and provide a detailed description of the apparatus that produces a high flux beam of thermal rubidium atoms.