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arXiv · 1003.0854

Multiple scattering of matter waves: an analytic model of the refractive index for atomic and molecular gases

Mikhail Lemeshko·Bretislav Friedrich
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Abstract

We present an analytic model of the refractive index for matter waves propagating through atomic or molecular gases. The model, which combines a WKB treatment of the long range attraction with the Fraunhofer model treatment of the short range repulsion, furnishes a refractive index in compelling agreement with recent experiments of Jacquey et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 240405 (2007)] on Li atom matter waves passing through dilute noble gases. We show that the diffractive contribution, which arises from scattering by a two dimensional "hard core" of the potential, is essential for obtaining a correct imaginary part of the refractive index.

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Mikhail Lemeshko, Bretislav Friedrich. 2010-07-19. Multiple scattering of matter waves: an analytic model of the refractive index for atomic and molecular gases. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.82.022711

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