Molecular Rotations in Matter-Wave Interferometry

TL;DR

This paper extends matter-wave interferometry theory to non-spherical molecules by incorporating their orientation, deriving a new grating operator, and identifying orientational signatures in interference patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a general orientation-dependent interaction model and derives the grating transformation operator for symmetric top molecules in near-field interferometry.

Findings

Derived the orientation-dependent grating operator.

Calculated interference patterns for symmetric top molecules.

Identified signatures of molecular orientation in interference experiments.

Abstract

We extend the theory of matter-wave interferometry of point-like particles to non-spherical objects by taking the orientational degrees of freedom into account. In particular, we derive the grating transformation operator, that maps the impinging state onto the outgoing state, for a general, orientation-dependent interaction potential between the grating and the molecule. The grating operator is then worked out for the diffraction of symmetric top molecules from standing light waves, and the resulting interference pattern is calculated in the near-field. This allows us to identify a signature of the orientational degrees of freedom in near-field matter-wave experiments.