dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaOn energy transfer by detection of a tunneling atom
| Authors | A. M. Steinberg |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/9904098 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9904098 |
| Journal | J.KoreanPhys.Soc.35:122-126,1999 |
Abstract
We are in the process of building an experiment to study the tunneling of laser-cooled Rubidium atoms through an optical barrier. A particularly thorny set of questions arises when one considers the possibility of observing a tunneling particle while it is in the ``forbidden'' region. In earlier work, we have discussed how one might probe a tunneling atom ``weakly,'' so as to prevent collapse. Here we make some observations about the implications of a more traditional quantum measurement. Considerations of energy conservation suggest that attempts to observe tunneling atoms will enhance inelastic scattering, but not in a way which can be directly observed. It is possible that attempts to make such measurements may lead to experimentally realizable ``observationally assisted barrier penetration.''
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"abstract": "We are in the process of building an experiment to study the tunneling of\nlaser-cooled Rubidium atoms through an optical barrier. A particularly thorny\nset of questions arises when one considers the possibility of observing a\ntunneling particle while it is in the ``forbidden\u0027\u0027 region. In earlier work, we\nhave discussed how one might probe a tunneling atom ``weakly,\u0027\u0027 so as to\nprevent collapse. Here we make some observations about the implications of a\nmore traditional quantum measurement. Considerations of energy conservation\nsuggest that attempts to observe tunneling atoms will enhance inelastic\nscattering, but not in a way which can be directly observed. It is possible\nthat attempts to make such measurements may lead to experimentally realizable\n``observationally assisted barrier penetration.\u0027\u0027",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/9904098",
"authors": [
"A. M. Steinberg"
],
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],
"journal_ref": "J.KoreanPhys.Soc.35:122-126,1999",
"title": "On energy transfer by detection of a tunneling atom",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9904098"
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