| Laser focusing of neutral atoms into a periodic array of nanometre-scale
features has emerged as a promising method of nanostructure fabrication. A laser
collimated atomic beam interacting with a near-resonant laser standing-wave created above
the substrate is focused into the nodes or the antinodes of the light intensity, depending
on the sign of the detuning of the laser frequency from the atomic resonance, thus forming
periodic nanostructures. |
|
 |
| The physics of nanostructure fabrication via atom optics involves both
atom-laser interactions and surface growth phenomena, making this deposition technique the
meeting place of atom physics and surface science. We will present the basic principles of
the method, some recent developments and results of our theoretical calculations based on
a semiclassical trajectory tracing method and a real-time surface diffusion algorithm and
compared them with the experiments conducted with chromium atomic beams. |
|
 |
| The future experimental possibilities are discussed with a special
emphasis on using laser focused atomic deposition for studies of surface growth phenomena
which are of great fundamental and industrial importance. |
|
| |
|
|
| This work is done in collaboration with Experimental Solid State Physics II:
|
|
|