Abstract
The formation of atom-optical gratings induced by multiphoton excitation of Rydberg states is discussed for fast atoms. With the help of semiclassical path-integral methods the correlation between the dynamics of a laser-excited Rydberg electron and the momentum transferred to the atomic center of mass in a spatially modulated laser field is exhibited quantitatively. These types of laser excitation processes might offer new perspectives for the realization of atomic multiple beam splitters and for atom-lithographic applications.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.50.R3577
©1994 American Physical Society