Optical lenses for atomic beams

Abstract

Superpositions of paraxial laser beam modes to generate atom-optical lenses based on the optical dipole force are investigated theoretically. Thin, wide, parabolic, cylindrical, and circular atom lenses with numerical apertures much greater than those reported in the literature to date can be synthesized. This superposition approach promises to make high-quality atom beam imaging and nanodeposition feasible. © 2009 The American Physical Society.