GSI-FAIR Colloquium

Atomic physics with twisted light

by Andrey Surzhykov (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and Technische Universität Braunschweig)

Europe/Berlin
GSI KBW Lecture Hall

GSI KBW Lecture Hall

Description

Photon beams with a helical phase front, that carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), are currently in the focus of intense research. Being routinely produced in microwave, visible and UV domains, these so–called twisted (or vortex) beams have found their applications in diverse fields ranging from optical communications and metrology to manipulating nanoparticles and cosmology. Of special interest today is the coupling of the vortex radiation to quantum states of atoms and ions. This coupling is crucial for driving highly forbidden atomic transitions, establishing novel frequency standards, as well as for understanding the interplay between internal and collective degrees of freedom in ultracold quantum gases. During the recent years, therefore, a large number of investigations have been performed to explore the fundamental atomic processes, involving OAM photons. In my talk, I will review recent theoretical advances in studying fundamental twisted-light-matter interaction processes such as the photon absorption and scattering by atoms, as well as the atomic photoeffect. We will discuss how the OAM of twisted photons can affect the selection rules of bound-state radiative transitions as well as the angular distribution of emitted photoelectrons.

Poster
Slides