A single structured light beam as an atomic cloud splitter

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method for splitting cold atomic clouds using a single structured light beam with parabolic cylindrical symmetry, demonstrating how beam properties influence atomic trajectories.

Contribution

It presents a new scheme utilizing a single structured light beam for atomic cloud splitting, supported by semiclassical simulations linking beam characteristics to atomic motion.

Findings

Effective atomic cloud splitting demonstrated

Relationship established between beam properties and atomic trajectories

Potential for precise control of atomic motion using structured light

Abstract

We propose a scheme to split a cloud of cold non-interacting neutral atoms based on their dipole interaction with a single structured light beam which exhibits parabolic cylindrical symmetry. Using semiclassical numerical simulations, we establish a direct relationship between the general properties of the light beam and the relevant geometric and kinematic properties acquired by the atomic cloud as its passes through the beam.