Lembessis, V. E., Courtial, J. , Radwell, N., Selyem, A., Franke-Arnold, S. , Aldossary, O.M. and Babiker, M. (2015) Graphene-like optical light field and its interaction with two-level atoms. Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 92, 063833. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevA.92.063833)
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Abstract
The theoretical basis leading to the creation of a light field with a hexagonal honeycomb structure resembling graphene is considered along with its experimental realization and its interaction with atoms. It is argued that associated with such a light field is an optical dipole potential which leads to the diffraction of the atoms, but the details depend on whether the transverse spread of the atomic wave packet is larger than the transverse dimensions of the optical lattice (resonant Kapitza-Dirac effect) or smaller (optical Stern-Gerlach effect). Another effect in this context involves the creation of gauge fields due to the Berry phase acquired by the atom moving in the light field. The experimental realization of the light field with a honeycomb hexagonal structure is described using holographic methods and we proceed to explore the atom diffraction in the Kapitza-Dirac regime as well as the optical Stern-Gerlach regime, leading to momentum distributions with characteristic but different hexagonal structures. The artificial gauge fields too are shown to have the same hexagonal spatial structure and their magnitude can be significantly large. The effects are discussed with reference to typical parameters for the atoms and the fields.
| Item Type: | Articles |
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| Keywords: | atom optics, graphene, holography |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Radwell, Dr Neal and Franke-Arnold, Professor Sonja and Courtial, Dr Johannes |
| Authors: | Lembessis, V. E., Courtial, J., Radwell, N., Selyem, A., Franke-Arnold, S., Aldossary, O.M., and Babiker, M. |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QC Physics |
| College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Research Group: | Optics |
| Journal Name: | Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics |
| Journal Abbr.: | Phys. Rev. A |
| Publisher: | American Physical Society |
| ISSN: | 2469-9926 |
| ISSN (Online): | 2469-9934 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2015 American Physical Society |
| First Published: | First published in Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 92:063833 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher |
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