dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaObservation of Nonspreading Wave Packets in an Imaginary Potential
| Authors | R. Stuetzle, M. C. Goebel, T. Hoerner, E. Kierig, I. Mourachko, M. K. Oberthaler, M. A. Efremov, M. V. Fedorov, V. P. Yakovlev, K. A. H. van Leeuwen, W. P. Schleich |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0412138 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0412138 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.110405 |
| Journal | Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 110405 (2005) |
Abstract
We propose and experimentally demonstrate a method to prepare a nonspreading atomic wave packet. Our technique relies on a spatially modulated absorption constantly chiseling away from an initially broad de Broglie wave. The resulting contraction is balanced by dispersion due to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. This quantum evolution results in the formation of a nonspreading wave packet of Gaussian form with a spatially quadratic phase. Experimentally, we confirm these predictions by observing the evolution of the momentum distribution. Moreover, by employing interferometric techniques, we measure the predicted quadratic phase across the wave packet. Nonspreading wave packets of this kind also exist in two space dimensions and we can control their amplitude and phase using optical elements.
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"abstract": "We propose and experimentally demonstrate a method to prepare a nonspreading\natomic wave packet. Our technique relies on a spatially modulated absorption\nconstantly chiseling away from an initially broad de Broglie wave. The\nresulting contraction is balanced by dispersion due to Heisenberg\u0027s uncertainty\nprinciple. This quantum evolution results in the formation of a nonspreading\nwave packet of Gaussian form with a spatially quadratic phase. Experimentally,\nwe confirm these predictions by observing the evolution of the momentum\ndistribution. Moreover, by employing interferometric techniques, we measure the\npredicted quadratic phase across the wave packet. Nonspreading wave packets of\nthis kind also exist in two space dimensions and we can control their amplitude\nand phase using optical elements.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0412138",
"authors": [
"R. Stuetzle",
"M. C. Goebel",
"T. Hoerner",
"E. Kierig",
"I. Mourachko",
"M. K. Oberthaler",
"M. A. Efremov",
"M. V. Fedorov",
"V. P. Yakovlev",
"K. A. H. van Leeuwen",
"W. P. Schleich"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.110405",
"journal_ref": "Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 110405 (2005)",
"title": "Observation of Nonspreading Wave Packets in an Imaginary Potential",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0412138"
},
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