Trapping of neon atoms

The wave nature of atoms and molecules was verified experimentally more than 70 years ago. However, no one has dreamed of using the wave nature of atoms for scientific or engineering applications until recent years. The wavelength of atoms at room temperature is so short that it was extremely difficult to extract wave nature in any applications. In 1980's the technique to cool an atomic gas to ultra-low temperature has been developed.

The wavelength of such ultra-low temperature atoms is close to that of optical waves, and it becomes possible to run experiments which shows a variety of wave nature, such as diffraction and interference. Figures shown on the left are holographic atomic patterns that are generated by interference of a neon atomic wave through a transmission hologram of SiN thin film (left). The atomic pattern can be electronically manipulated by embedding electrodes on the hologram (bottom figures).