Abstract

Laser focusing of neutral atoms is a unique approach for fabricating periodic small structures. In a standing wave formed by two counter-propagating laser beams, the radiation force acts as a sequence of cylindrical lenses that focus the atoms into a periodic array of parallel lines during deposition onto a substrate. In this way, a pattern is written onto the substrate without the use of any masks.¹ To minimize the feature width on the substrate, the atoms entering the focusing laser must be highly collimated transversely by optical cooling.

© 2001 Optical Society of America