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Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 100404 (2002) [4 pages]

Matter-Wave Interferometer for Large Molecules

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Björn Brezger, Lucia Hackermüller, Stefan Uttenthaler, Julia Petschinka, Markus Arndt, and Anton Zeilinger*
Universität Wien, Institut für Experimentalphysik, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Wien, Austria

Received 20 November 2001; published 26 February 2002

We demonstrate a near-field Talbot-Lau interferometer for C70 fullerene molecules. Such interferometers are particularly suitable for larger masses. Using three free-standing gold gratings of 1 μm period and a transversally incoherent but velocity-selected molecular beam, we achieve an interference fringe visibility of 40% with high count rate. Both the high visibility and its velocity dependence are in good agreement with a quantum simulation that takes into account the van der Waals interaction of the molecules with the gratings and are in striking contrast to a classical moiré model.

© 2002 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.100404
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.100404
PACS:
03.75.Dg, 03.65.Ta, 39.20.+q

*Email address: zeilinger-office@exp.univie.ac.atwww.quantum.univie.ac.at

 
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