Multilayer “dielectric” mirror for atoms

authored by

Luis Santos, Luis Roso

Abstract

All existing atomic mirrors are conceptually similar to metallic mirrors in standard optics in the sense that they are constructed with repulsive potentials and thus produce an imaginary “refraction index.” Here a different kind of mirror for atoms that is similar to a multilayer dielectric mirror in standard optics is proposed. We show that a periodic attractive laser potential can reflect atoms of certain momenta due to the presence of gaps in the spectrum of energies, as in the photonic band-gap structures in light optics. Spontaneous emission and gravitational effects are also analyzed.

External Organisation(s)

Universidad de Salamanca

Type

Article

Journal

Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

Volume

58

Pages

2407-2412

No. of pages

6

ISSN

1050-2947

Publication date

01.09.1998

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.58.2407 (Access: Unknown)