title: Specular reflection of matter waves from a rough mirror.
abstract: We present a high resolution study of the specularity of the atomic reflection from an evanescent wave mirror using velocity selective Raman transitions. We observed a double structure in the velocity distribution after reflection: a peak consistent with specular reflection and a diffuse reflection pedestal whose contribution decreases rapidly with increasing detuning. The diffuse reflection is due to two distinct effects: spontaneous emission in the evanescent wave and roughness in the evanescent wave potential whose amplitude is smaller than the de Broglie wavelength of the reflected atoms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, UMR 8501 du CNRS, 91403 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savalli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Estève
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Featonby
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Josse
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Westbrook
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Westbrook
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aspect