Goos-H\"{a}nchen-Like Shifts in Atom Optics

TL;DR

This paper investigates the analog of the Goos-H"{a}nchen} shift in atom optics, demonstrating that two-level atoms interacting with a laser-created potential can experience significant positive and negative lateral shifts upon reflection.

Contribution

It introduces a vector theory approach to analyze matter wave shifts, revealing the possibility of large positive and negative Goos-H"{a}nchen} shifts in atomic reflections.

Findings

Large positive and negative shifts observed in atomic reflection.

Vector theory effectively models two-component atomic systems.

Potential applications in atom optics and quantum control.

Abstract

We consider the propagation of a matter wavepacket of two-level atoms through a square potential created by a super-Gaussian laser beam. We explore the matter wave analog of Goos-H\"{a}nchen shift within the framework of atom optics where the roles of atom and light is exchanged with respect to conventional optics. Using a vector theory, where atoms are treated as particles possessing two internal spin components, we show that not only large negative but also large positive Goos-H\"{a}nchen shifts can occur in the reflected atomic beam.