Abstract

We have experimentally and theoretically studied grazing incidence atomic diffraction on a spatially modulated evanescent wave atomic mirror. Although scalar diffraction (without change of the internal atomic state), is highly suppressed, efficient diffraction takes place when there is an internal state change [1]. In the latter case, we observe oscillations interpreted as the interferences between various channels, analogous to Stückelberg oscillations well known in collision physics.

© 1998 IEEE