- Letter
Distinguishing dual lattices by strong-pulse matter-wave diffraction
Phys. Rev. A 113, L011302 – Published 13 January, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/swz7-qnpx
Abstract
Dual lattices such as honeycomb and hexagonal lattices typically obey Babinet's principle in optics, which states that the expected interference patterns of two complementary diffracting objects are identical and indistinguishable, except for their overall intensity. Here, we study Kapitza-Dirac diffraction of Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices and find that matter waves in dual lattices obey Babinet's principle only under the condition of weak-pulse Raman-Nath regime. In contrast, the Kapitza-Dirac matter-wave diffraction in the strong-pulse Raman-Nath regime, which generates subwavelength phase structures via phase wrapping, can break Babinet's principle and clearly resolve the distinct interference patterns of the dual honeycomb and hexagonal lattices. This method offers exceptional precision in characterizing lattice configurations and advance the study of symmetry-related phenomena, overcoming the limitations of real-space imaging.
