Atom-optics holograms

The temporal evolution of atomic wave packets interacting with object and reference electromagnetic waves is investigated, and an analytical solution for the off-resonant density matrix is presented. It is shown that, under certain physical conditions, the diffraction of an ultracold atomic beam by an inhomogeneous laser field can be interpreted as if the beam passes through a three-dimensional hologram. We show that high diffraction efficiencies can be realized if one restricts the extent of the atomic hologram in the time domain rather than in space. The hologram, thus, can work in a pulsed regime pumping atoms from the beam or from the initial wave packet into the reconstructed matter wave. The suggested regime is well compatible with the Raman cooling methods and the recent realization of an atom laser, which are capable of repeatedly reproducing coherent, or almost coherent, atomic wave packets necessary for the actual implementation of the reading beam. It is found that the diffraction efficiency of such a hologram may reach 100% and is determined by the duration of laser pulses. On this basis, a new method for the reconstruction of the object image with matter waves is offered. The latter may have useful practical applications, ranging from atom lithography, to the manufacturing of microstructures, and quantum microfabrication.