Multiple nuclear Bragg scattering

Multiple nuclear resonant scattering from an ⁵⁷FeBO₃ single crystal has been observed in the three-beam case. A change of the lifetime and a modulation of the quantum beat were observed in our study. The high brilliance of synchrotron radiation and the high perfection of the synthetic ⁵⁷FeBO₃ single crystal enabled us to observe such an effect. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

From superradiant Rayleigh scattering to Bragg scattering

We present the results of an experiment on light scattering from an elongated Bose-Einstein condensate interacting with far off resonant laser light. Due to superradiant Rayleigh scattering a coherent superposition of two atomic wavepackets with different momenta forms in the presence of a single laser beam. Varying the intensity of a weak counterpropagating laser beam we observe the transition from the pure superradiant regime to the Bragg scattering regime, where Rabi oscillations in a two-level system are observed. The process is limited by the decoherence between the two atomic wavepackets.     

Magnetochiral anisotropy in Bragg scattering

We show experimentally that light scattering in cholesteric liquid crystals shows strongly resonant magnetochiral anisotropy near the Bragg resonance; the optical transmission of unpolarized light depends linearly on an external longitudinal magnetic field and on the handedness of the medium.     

Transparency in Bragg scattering and phase conjugation

Reflectionless transmission of light waves with unitary transmittance is shown to occur in a certain class of gain-grating structures and phase-conjugation mirrors in the unstable (above-threshold) regime. Such structures are synthesized by means of the Darboux method developed in the context of supersymmetric relativistic quantum mechanics. Transparency is associated to superluminal pulse transmission.     

Bragg scattering measurement of atmospheric plasma decay

The decay processes of the plasma layers generated by two intersecting microwave pulses in 1 torr dry air are investigated by Bragg scattering method. The results of measurement show that the electrons decay initially at the three-body attachment rate. However, when enough negative molecule ions are produced through the electron attachment process, the regeneration of electrons via detachment process is increased and eventually balances out the electron attachment loss. The net electron loss is then dominated by the recombination process. The temporal evolution of electron density has also been reproduced by the numerical result of a system of three modal equations for a best fit detachment rate v_d=2×10³sec^–1.     

Bragg scattering induces Fano resonance in photonic crystals

We present a study of a Fano resonance between a narrow Bragg band and disorder-induced continuum in photonic crystals where the continuum is either of the broad band Fabry-Pérot scattering in an imperfect one-dimensional photonic crystal or Mie scattering in an imperfect three-dimensional photonic crystal. Our experimental studies of synthetic opals have demonstrated how the Fano resonance may lead to a transmission spectrum exhibiting a Bragg dip with an asymmetric profile or a Bragg rise.     

Stokes-space formalism for Bragg scattering in a fiber

Optical frequency conversion by four-wave mixing (Bragg scattering) in a fiber is considered. The evolution of this process can be modeled using the signal and idler amplitudes, which are complex, or Stokes-like parameters, which are real. The Stokes-space formalism allows one to visualize power and phase information simultaneously, and produces a simple evolution equation for the Stokes parameters.     

Grazing-angle scattering of electromagnetic waves in periodic Bragg arrays

A new powerful approximate approach for the theoretical analysis of Bragg scattering in oblique strip-like periodic arrays with the scattered wave propagating almost parallel to the array boundaries – grazing-angle scattering (GAS) – is introduced and justified. This approach is based on allowance for the diffractional divergence of the scattered wave by means of the parabolic equation of diffraction and Fourier analysis. The divergence is demonstrated to be an intrinsic physical cause of GAS. Detailed theoretical analysis of steady-state GAS is carried out for bulk and guided optical modes. It is demonstrated that the most interesting feature of GAS in arrays of width that is greater than a critical width is a unique combination of two strong simultaneous resonances with respect to frequency and angle of scattering. In such wide arrays, GAS is demonstrated to be not only unusually sensitive to angle of scattering, but also to small variations of array width and grating amplitude. Entire concentration of the resonantly strong scattered wave inside the array is shown to be possible. A relationship between GAS, conventional Bragg scattering, and extremely asymmetrical scattering (i.e. where the scattered wave propagates parallel to the array boundaries) is analysed. Applicability conditions for the used approximations and obtained results are derived and discussed.     

Bragg rods and multiple X-ray scattering in random-stacking colloidal crystals

Synchrotron small-angle x-ray diffraction images of random-stacking-induced Bragg scattering rods are obtained in a wide range of wave vectors from a single colloidal crystal. The results reveal a strong multiple scattering effect, which leads to new features in the diffraction pattern-secondary Bragg rods. We argue that dynamic x-ray diffraction is rather common for high-quality colloidal photonic crystals and should be taken into account.     

Bragg scattering of cooper pairs in an ultracold Fermi gas

We present a theoretical treatment of Bragg scattering of a degenerate Fermi gas in the weakly interacting BCS regime. Our numerical calculations predict correlated scattering of Cooper pairs into a spherical shell in momentum space. The scattered shell of correlated atoms is centered at half the usual Bragg momentum transfer, and can be clearly distinguished from atoms scattered by the usual single-particle Bragg mechanism. We develop an analytic model that explains key features of the correlated-pair Bragg scattering, and determine the dependence of that scattering on the initial pair correlations in the gas.     

Extremely asymmetrical scattering of slab modes in periodic Bragg arrays

The steady-state extremely asymmetrical scattering of electromagnetic modes in a slab with a periodically corrugated boundary is analyzed theoretically. A new approach, based on allowance for the diffractional divergence of a scattered wave, is used with the approximation of slowly varying amplitudes and a Fourier analysis. The structure of the incident and scattered waves inside and outside the array is determined. The amplitudes of the scattered waves are found to be much larger than the amplitude of the incident wave. The typical time of relaxation to steady-state scattering is found to depend on the distance from the array boundary through which the incident wave enters the array. Conditions of applicability of the results obtained are also presented.     

The effect of the modulation of Bragg scattering in small-slope approximation

Abstract

Small-slope approximation (SSA) belongs to a class of ‘unifying’ scattering theories which reproduce small perturbations and semiclassic (Kirchhoff) results within appropriate limits. However, the most stringent test for such theories involves a two-scale situation when a small-scale roughness is located on a tilted plane. A ‘unifying’ theory should properly account for the effects of modulation of the scattering cross section associated with a large-scale tilt. This paper shows that SSA does properly take into account these modulation effects.     

Bragg scattering of light in vacuum structured by strong periodic fields

Elastic scattering of laser radiation due to vacuum polarization by spatially modulated strong electromagnetic fields is considered. The Bragg interference arising at a specific impinging direction of the probe wave concentrates the scattered light in specular directions. The interference maxima are enhanced with respect to the usual vacuum polarization effect proportional to the square of the number of modulation periods within the interaction region. The Bragg scattering can be employed to detect the vacuum polarization effect in a setup of multiple crossed superstrong laser beams with parameters envisaged in the future Extreme Light Infrastructure.     

The effect of the modulation of Bragg scattering in small-slope approximation

Small-slope approximation (SSA) belongs to a class of 'unifying' scattering theories which reproduce small perturbations and semiclassic (Kirchhoff) results within appropriate limits. However, the most stringent test for such theories involves a two-scale situation when a small-scale roughness is located on a tilted plane. A 'unifying' theory should properly account for the effects of modulation of the scattering cross section associated with a large-scale tilt. This paper shows that SSA does properly take into account these modulation effects.     

A distributed feedback dye laser based on higher order Bragg scattering

A distributed feedback dye laser based on second order Bragg scattering due to a sinusoidal susceptibility modulation is reported. Rhodamine 6G dye solution in three different solvents; methanol, ethanol and benzyl alcohol is pumped by interference fringes produced by two beams from the second harmonic of Nd:YAG laser. Output power is plotted as a function of the pump power. The spectrum of dye laser shows a new type of modulation.     

Correlation of Bragg scattering from the sea surface at different polarizations

The phase interference fading in Bragg backscattering from the sea surface at moderate incidence angles is considered using both moment method calculation of the scattering from measured water profiles and an implementation of the slightly rough, tilted facet model. The fading of the instantaneous scattering cross-section is shown to be independent of the instantaneous phase of the illuminating signal. The vertical and horizontal polarization fading responses are therefore strongly correlated when identical carrier frequencies and modulations are used at both polarizations since the electromagnetic energy is Bragg resonant with the same small-scale roughness in both cases, independent of whether the polarization channels are phase locked. Instantaneous horizontally polarized Bragg backscattering (HH) exceeding that at vertical polarization (VV) is extremely unlikely in this case. Use of an offset in the frequencies of monochromatic signals used at the two polarizations can lead to reduced correlation between the fading if the illumination footprint length is sufficiently large so that the frequency shift introduces a significant additional phase shift between the scattering from the leading and trailing edges of the footprint. The fading shows only a very weak correlation when this phase shift exceeds 400°. HH Bragg backscattering exceeding VV will be much more common under these specialized conditions.