Abstract
Preliminary experimental results are reported for the deflection of Na atoms in an atomic beam by a transverse standing-wave laser field whose frequency is tuned between the two ground-state hyperfine components of the line. In contrast to the two experiments done previously, a splitting of the beam into two symmetric peaks whose separation increases with the electric-field is seen here. In addition, the data show evidence for atomic diffraction: a tendency for scattered atoms to acquire momentum in multiples of .
- Received 23 May 1983
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.51.370
©1983 American Physical Society