Quantum reflection of helium atom beams from a microstructured grating

Abstract

We observe high-resolution diffraction patterns of a thermal-energy helium-atom beam reflected from a microstructured surface grating at grazing incidence. The grating consists of 10-$\mu$m-wide Cr strips patterned on a quartz substrate and has a periodicity of 20 $\mu$m. Fully-resolved diffraction peaks up to the $7^{\mathrm{th}}$ order are observed at grazing angles up to 20 mrad. With changes in de Broglie wavelength or grazing angle the relative diffraction intensities show significant variations which shed light on the nature of the atom-surface interaction potential. The observations are explained in terms of quantum reflection at the long-range attractive Casimir-van der Waals potential.

4 pages, 4 figures

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Cited by in corpus (24)

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• Emerging beam resonances in atom diffraction from a reflection grating
• Quantum interference test of the equivalence principle on antihydrogen
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• Probing topological phase transitions via quantum reflection in the graphene family materials
• Two-dimensional simulation of quantum reflection
• Peak, valley and intermediate regimes in the lateral van der Waals force
• Quantum threshold reflection of He atom beams from rough surfaces
• Quantum reflection of rare gas atoms and molecules from a grating
• Tuning quantum reflection in graphene with an external magnetic field
• Improved Effective Range Expansion for Casimir-Polder potential
• Monolithic atom interferometry
• Interplay of curvature and temperature in the Casimir-Polder interaction
• Diffraction of fast heavy noble gas atoms, Ar, Kr and Xe on a LiF(001) surface Changing the tip of a 'perfect' AFM
• Comprehensive peak-width analysis in matter-wave diffraction under grazing incidence conditions
• Electrically controlled focusing of de Broglie matter waves by Fresnel zone plate
• Complex orientation dependence of Casimir-Polder interaction induced by curvature and optical properties of the surface and the surrounding medium