TY - JOUR
T1 - Diffraction in time
T2 - an exactly solvable model
AU - Goussev, Arseni
PY - 2013/5/29
Y1 - 2013/5/29
N2 - In recent years, matter-wave interferometry has attracted growing attention due to its unique suitability for high-precision measurements and the study of fundamental aspects of quantum theory. Diffraction and interference of matter waves can be observed not only at a spatial aperture (such as a screen edge, slit, or grating), but also at a time-domain aperture (such as an absorbing barrier, or "shutter," that is being periodically switched on and off). The wave phenomenon of the latter type is commonly referred to as "diffraction in time." Here, we introduce a versatile, exactly solvable model of diffraction in time. It describes time evolution of an arbitrary initial quantum state in the presence of a time-dependent absorbing barrier, governed by an arbitrary aperture function. Our results enable a quantitative description of diffraction and interference patterns in a large variety of setups, and may be used to devise new diffraction and interference experiments with atoms and molecules.
AB - In recent years, matter-wave interferometry has attracted growing attention due to its unique suitability for high-precision measurements and the study of fundamental aspects of quantum theory. Diffraction and interference of matter waves can be observed not only at a spatial aperture (such as a screen edge, slit, or grating), but also at a time-domain aperture (such as an absorbing barrier, or "shutter," that is being periodically switched on and off). The wave phenomenon of the latter type is commonly referred to as "diffraction in time." Here, we introduce a versatile, exactly solvable model of diffraction in time. It describes time evolution of an arbitrary initial quantum state in the presence of a time-dependent absorbing barrier, governed by an arbitrary aperture function. Our results enable a quantitative description of diffraction and interference patterns in a large variety of setups, and may be used to devise new diffraction and interference experiments with atoms and molecules.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878521547&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.87.053621
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.87.053621
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84878521547
SN - 1050-2947
VL - 87
JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
IS - 5
M1 - 053621
ER -