Resolved diffraction patterns from a reflection grating for atoms

Abstract

We have studied atomic diffraction at normal incidence from an evanescent standing wave with a high resolution using velocity selective Raman transitions. We have observed up to 3 resolved orders of diffraction, which are well accounted for by a scalar diffraction theory. In our experiment the transverse coherence length of the source is greater than the period of the diffraction grating.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure