Abstract

Evanescent wave atomic mirrors have been shown to be very sensitive to the surface roughness of the glass substrate on which the evanescent wave is formed [1]. Non specular reflection of slow atoms at normal incidence has been observed for surface roughness as low as 0.1nm. We interpret this behaviour in terms of diffraction of the atomic De Broglie wave (λ_dB/2π≈1nm) on the modulated potential created by the interference of the evanescent wave with light scattered by the rough surface [2]. However these experiments could not separate the specular peak of reflected atoms from the diffuse part.

© 2000 IEEE