Quantum reflection and interference of matter waves from periodically doped surfaces

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that periodically doped surfaces can serve as diffraction gratings for matter waves by locally suppressing quantum reflection, enabling the observation of multiple diffraction peaks.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum scattering theory for reflection from periodically charged surfaces and outlines conditions for observing multiple diffraction peaks.

Findings

Periodic doping suppresses quantum reflection locally.

Diffraction peaks can be observed under specific conditions.

Theoretical framework for matter wave diffraction on charged surfaces.

Abstract

We show that periodically doped, flat surfaces can act as reflective diffraction gratings for atomic and molecular matter waves. The diffraction element is realized by exploiting that charged dopants locally suppress quantum reflection from the Casimir-Polder potential. We present a general quantum scattering theory for reflection off periodically charged surfaces and discuss the requirements for the observation of multiple diffraction peaks.