Photonic Band Gaps in One-Dimensionally Ordered Cold Atomic Vapors

Alexander Schilke (1) , Claus Zimmermann (1) , Philippe W. Courteille (1, 2) , William Guerin (1)

1 Physikalisches Institut [Tübingen]
2 IFSC-USP - Instituto de Física de São Carlos

We experimentally investigate the Bragg reflection of light at one-dimensionally ordered atomic structures by using cold atoms trapped in a laser standing wave. By a fine tuning of the periodicity, we reach the regime of multiple reflection due to the refractive index contrast between layers, yielding an unprecedented high reflectance efficiency of 80%. This result is explained by the occurrence of a photonic band gap in such systems, in accordance with previous predictions.

Domaines: Physique Atomique [physics.atom-ph]; Optique [physics.optics]

Alexander Schilke, Claus Zimmermann, Philippe W. Courteille, William Guerin. Photonic Band Gaps in One-Dimensionally Ordered Cold Atomic Vapors. Physical Review Letters, 2011, 106, pp.223903. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.223903⟩. ⟨hal-00557131v3⟩