Observation of Quantum Diffractive Velocity-Changing Collisions by Use of Two-Level Heavy Optical Radiators

Abstract

Coherence-preserving collisions for optical radiator-perturber scattering are studied by means of a velocity-selective photon-echo technique, using ytterbium atoms as heavy, long-lived, two-level radiators. These experiments establish the quantum diffractive nature of the radiator velocity change by demonstrating quantitative agreement with calculations. Radiator-destruction cross sections obtained with use of both Lamb dip and echo techniques agree to within 10%.