https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2002-00113-4
Long-range atom-metal-surface interaction and interference of atomic states
1
Russian Research Center “Kurchatov Institute" OGRA,
123182 Moscow, Russia
2
Moscow Engineering Physics Institute,
115409 Moscow, Russia
3
National Research Institute for Physical-Technical and
Radiotechnical Measurements, VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo, 141570 Moscow
Region, Russia
Corresponding authors: a lukich@nfi.kiae.ru - b yakovlev@theor.mephi.msk.ru - c vitpal@mail.ru
Received:
9
January
2002
Revised:
8
April
2002
Published online:
28
June
2002
The effect of long-range interaction of metastable hydrogen atoms with a metal surface is experimentally studied. The suggested experimental scheme uses the interaction as a component of an atomic interferometer. Qualitative and quantitative estimates of the atom-surface interaction are obtained for various experimental designs.
PACS: 31.30.Jv – Relativistic and quantum electrodynamic effects in atoms and molecules / 32.70.Fw – Absolute and relative intensities / 39.10.+j – Atomic and molecular beam sources and techniques / 39.20.+q – Atom interferometry
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2002
