Kapitza-Dirac diffraction without standing waves: diffraction without a grating?

Phys Rev Lett. 2004 Jun 4;92(22):223601. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.223601. Epub 2004 Jun 4.

Abstract

We discuss electron diffraction from two counterpropagating light waves with two different frequencies. We show that, even though these waves do not form a standing wave, electron diffraction similar to the conventional Kapitza-Dirac effect, i.e., scattering on a standing wave, is still possible. The nonlinear response of the electron to the laser fields creates a stationary diffraction grating from which the same electron scatters.