The force on atoms in intense standing wave laser fields: dipole force with doppleron structure

The dressed atom approach is used to investigate the evolution of atoms moving in an intense standing wave laser field. When coherences between the dressed states can be neglected, a simple expression is obtained for the radiative force acting on the atoms. The Landau-Zener model, well-known in the theory of slow atomic collisions, is here used to include coherences in an analytic treatment. At high velocities, where the simplest approach breaks down, the results are in good agreement with exact numerical calculations. Applications outside the field of laser cooling are discussed.