Light forces in two crossed standing waves with controlled time-phase difference

Abstract

We have experimentally studied the interaction of a collimated thermal rubidium beam with a two-dimensional intense standing wave generated in the intersection area of the TEM00 modes of two mutually orthogonal linear optical resonators. The relative time-phase difference of the two resonator modes was controlled. We observe transverse confinement of the atoms in the node or antinode structure of the standing wave and a deflection of the atoms after their passage through the light field. In both cases the time-phase difference can be identified as an important parameter for the kinematics of the interaction process between atoms and standing waves. Our experimental data are in qualitative agreement with the results of a Monte Carlo simulation based on a two-level atom.