Optical Lenses for Atomic Beams

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical design of advanced atom-optical lenses using superpositions of laser beam modes, enabling high-quality atom beam imaging and nano-deposition with unprecedented numerical apertures.

Contribution

It introduces a superposition method for creating high numerical aperture atom lenses, surpassing previous designs in quality and versatility.

Findings

Designs for thin, wide, parabolic, cylindrical, and circular atom lenses

Lenses with numerical apertures much greater than existing ones

Potential for improved atom beam imaging and nano-deposition

Abstract

Superpositions of paraxial laser beam modes to generate atom-optical lenses based on the optical dipole force are investigated theoretically. Thin, wide, parabolic, cylindrical and circular atom lenses with numerical apertures much greater than those reported in the literature to date can be synthesized. This superposition approach promises to make high quality atom beam imaging and nano-deposition feasible.