Osnabrück 2002 – scientific programme
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Q: Quantenoptik
Q 221: Teilchenoptik
Q 221.2: Talk
Tuesday, March 5, 2002, 16:45–17:00, HS 22/B01
Manipulation of the fullerenes C60 and C70 with gratings made of light — •Markus Arndt, Olaf Nairz, Björn Brezger, Lucia Hackermüller, and Anton Zeilinger — Institut für Experimentalphysik, Universität Wien, Boltzmanngasse 5,A-1090 Wien
We present de Broglie interference of the Fullerenes C60 and C70 after interaction with a cw optical grating. The optical manipulation of large molecules is generally somewhat different from that of atoms: Firstly, the interaction is weaker and therefore requires higher laser intensities. Secondly, photons may be absorbed at almost all wavelengths from the visible to the UV but they are generally not reemitted. Coherence can therefore be maintained even after absorption.
In our experiment we select the 514 nm line of an Ar+ laser beam for creating a standing wave and thus (predominantly) a phase grating for velocity selected and well collimated fullerenes. The observed diffraction pattern is in good agreement with a simple model. We see however indications for a change in the absorption and polarizability after the first excitation step in C70.
Our demonstration shows the feasibility of phase gratings with perfect periodicity and transmission for large molecules. Light structures will be essential elements in experiments with super-massive molecules, which would either destroy or block mechanical gratings.
Ref.: Nairz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 160401 (2001).