Atom Optics

Atom Optics gradually leads the reader from elementary concepts to the frontiers of the field. It is organized in three parts, linear, nonli near, and quantum atom optics. After a review of light forces on atoms and of laser cooling, the first part discusses the application of lig ht forces to atom optical elements such as gratings, mirrors and lense s, matter-wave diffraction, and atomic traps and resonators. The discu ssion of nonlinear atom optics starts with a review of collisions from a viewpoint that clearly demonstrates its profound analogy with nonli near optics. The last part, quantum atom optics, first recalls key res ults of many-body theory in a formulation geared specifically toward a tom optics. This is followed by a discussion of atomic Bose-Einstein c ondensation and "atom lasers." The final chapters treat such applicati ons as atomic solitons, four-wave mixing, superradiance, and conclude with the coherent amplification of matter waves.