We have experimentally observed the discrete diffraction of light in a coherently prepared multi-level atomic medium. This is achieved by launching a probe beam into an optical lattice induced from the interference of two coupling beams. The diffraction pattern can be controlled through the atomic parameters such as two-photon detuning and temperature, as well as orientations of the coupling an...

An optical setup is implemented for observation and analysis of diffraction phenomena. The device provides a two-dimensional ordered continuous display of all the diffraction patterns of any one-dimensional signal. This result allows a direct comparison between the observed light intensity and the prediction of diffraction theory, both in the near-field and the far-field regions. The arrangemen...

In the previous experiment diffraction and interference were discussed and at the end a diffraction grating was introduced. In this lab most of the things learned in the last experiment will be applied to measure the wavelengths of the lines in the visible spectrum of some elements. You will use a diffraction grating mounted on a spectrometer to measure the interference maxima for various wavel...

We review both theoretical and experimental advances in the recently emerged field of modulated photonic lattices. These artificial periodic dielectric structures provide a powerful tool for the control of the fundamental aspects of light propagation. Photonic lattices are arrays of coupled optical waveguides, where the light propagation becomes effectively discretized. The discretized nature o...