Phasor analysis of atom diffraction from a rotated material grating

An atom-surface interaction was detected by studying atom diffraction from a rotated material grating. A phasor diagram similar to the Cornu spiral was developed to explain why there are no missing orders in atom diffraction from material gratings. We also show that atom-surface interactions combined with rotated grating structures can produce asymmetric, i.e., blazed, diffraction patterns. Our conceptual discussion is supported by experimental observations with a sodium atom beam and silicon nitride gratings. The data are consistent with the nonretarded van der Waals interaction.