Effect of noise and modulation on the reflection of atoms from an evanescent wave

Wen Yu Chen, G. J. Milburn, S. Dyrting

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We consider the reflection of cold atoms from a temporally modulated evanescent wave, with laser intensity noise, including stochastic surface adsorption. The stochastic surface adsorption is explicitly modeled by means of quantum trajectories while the effect of noise is modeled using the method of stochastic Hamiltonians. The results show that noise destroys quantum features such as interference and splitting, which is especially rapid for semiclassical states. For small noise, modulation can still produce a splitting of the atomic beam, with added dispersion resulting from heating of atoms. In order to distinguish the quantum features, a classical analysis is also presented.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1510-1515
Number of pages6
JournalPhysical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume54
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 1996
Externally publishedYes

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