Academic literature on the topic 'Matter wave guiding'

The motion of a particle driven by a slow RF wave inside crossed electrostatic and magnetostatic fields is examined. A time-scale separation exists in the synchronous frame, moving at the slow-wave phase velocity, where all fields appear static in time and the cyclotron motion is much faster than the guidingcentre drift. The averaging of the periodic gyromotion is performed systematically with canonical transformations up to second order in the smallwave amplitude. The first-order guiding-centre drift follows the equipotential surfaces of the transformed electric field. The second-order effects, due to the field-line curvature, and/or the nonlinear variation in the wave phase velocity, cause departures from the parapotential flow. The topology of the trajectories depends on the departure of the drift velocity from synchronism with the wave. Various flow topologies corresponding to different values of the control parameters are examined.

AbstractSpace-charge waves in a relativistic electron beam that completely fills a cylindrical metallic waveguide and is guided by an ion channel are analyzed numerically. Equilibrium consists of a uniform and rigid rotation without betatron oscillations. Using cold fluid equations a differential equation and boundary conditions are derived that constitute an eigenvalue problem. This eigenvalue problem is solved, numerically, with the finite difference scheme using shooting method. Dispersion characteristics and electrostatic potential structures of azimuthally symmetric and nonsymmetric space-charge waves are studied. Perfect agreement with analytical results at asymptotic limit of zero axial velocity is found. It was found that relativistic effects modify the dispersion characteristics of the space-charge waves considerably and can concentrate the electric field energy of the wave into a thin and small shell around the axis.

AbstractThis review describes the results of investigations on charged particle dynamics in a magnetic field carried out over a number of years. The studies have unravelled the existence of some very surprising and unusual phenomena. Though existing on the macro-scale, they are found to be of quantum origin, and are thereby not covered by the Lorentz equation, which has been regarded conventionally as the descriptor of electrodynamic phenomena on the macro-scale. These novel phenomena have been found to be attributed to the ‘quantum modulation’ of the de Broglie wave along the magnetic field. This is brought about through the scattering-induced transition across Landau levels, leading to the modulation of the plane wave state along the field as a result of the entanglement between the parallel and perpendicular degrees of freedom. These findings were motivated by the predictions of a formalism developed by the author and include such unusual phenomena as (i) macro-scale matter wave interference effects and (ii) the detection of curl-free vector potential also on the macro-scale, both attributed to quantum modulation which is a matter wave on the macro-scale. The formalism is thus described as ‘macro-quantization of guiding centre motion’.

AbstractThe operation of a free-electron laser (FEL) with electromagnetic wave wiggler in the presence of an ion-channel guiding as well as an axial guide magnetic field is considered and compared. Theoretical studies of electron trajectories and dispersion relations in a combined ion electrostatic field as well as large-amplitude backward-propagating electromagnetic waves are analyzed. The large-amplitude wave acts like a magnetostatic wiggler in a FEL. The results of a numerical study are presented and discussed. It is shown that in the wiggler pumped ion-channel free-electron laser (WPIC-FEL), electron orbits and dispersion relation are time-dependent, and over time, electron orbits while oscillating bear a periodic motion.

The extended Einstein–Maxwell-aether-axion model describes internal interactions inside the system, which contains gravitational, electromagnetic fields, the dynamic unit vector field describing the velocity of an aether, and the pseudoscalar field associated with the axionic dark matter. The specific feature of this model is that the axion field controls the dynamics of the aether through the guiding functions incorporated into Jacobson’s constitutive tensor. Depending on the state of the axion field, these guiding functions can control and switch on or switch off the influence of acceleration, shear, vorticity and expansion of the aether flow on the state of physical system as a whole. We obtain new exact solutions, which possess the pp-wave symmetry, and indicate them by the term pp-wave aether modes in contrast to the pure pp-waves, which cannot propagate in this field conglomerate. These exact solutions describe a specific dynamic state of the pseudoscalar field, which corresponds to one of the minima of the axion potential and switches off the influence of shear and expansion of the aether flow; the model does not impose restrictions on Jacobson’s coupling constants and on the axion mass. Properties of these new exact solutions are discussed.

This paper presents the optical guiding of a laser beam in plasma by using a preformed plasma channel. The density ramp in plasma density due to the plasma pressure has also been considered. The effect of ponderomotive force has been taken into account which originates due to the intensity gradient present in the laser beam. This force produces a plasma gradient by expelling plasma electrons from a high-field to a low-field region, providing heavy ions remain immobile. Plasma oscillations result from a gradient in plasma density that excites an electron plasma wave. The equation governing the plasma wave excitation has been found by using linear perturbation theory. An in-phase mixing of an incident laser beam with this plasma wave generates its second harmonics. Laguerre–Gaussian laser profile has been used for harmonic production. Moment theory has been used to obtain a differential equation for beam waist, which has been solved numerically by Runge–Kutta's fourth-order method. The effect of different modes of Laguerre–Gaussian profile, beam intensity, plasma density, channel depth, and slope of density ramp has been explored.

The pure liquid crystalline state of matter is known for its large optical nonlinearity. The effect has been widely studied in thin film as the beam crosses it. Few studies have been done for a geometry in which the light interacts with the matter on a large volume. In this paper, we report the results we have obtained in this configuration (Bulk Optical Freederisckz Effect) and for dye-doped liquid crystals. In such mixtures, the nonlinear effect occurs at low input powers and is called the Janossy effect. Besides similar behaviors which occur in the Bulk Freederisckz Effect, it is reported in this paper a beam behavior, namely a self wave-guiding or "spatial soliton," which is probably more specific to the bulk Janossy Effect. This self created wave-guide is assigned to be a consequence of the dye absorption: the optically induced refractive index gradient is finely tuned by the additional anisotropic thermal contribution, allowing a quasi perfect optical coupling of the fiber source with the optically induced liquid crystal wave-guide.

Recent efforts in the field of ultracold atoms have goneinto creating wave guides of sub-micron sizes. In this thesis,the quantum dynamics of matter waves in such confiningpotential structures with minima extended in space isinvestigated. A general framework based upon the separation ofthe wave function for the quantum particle using a discrete setof mode functions is introduced to reduce the dimensionality ofthe problem. Conditions for propagation in the form ofindependent modes, i.e. adiabatic propagation, are determinedfor the case of matter waves with spatially varying width andfound to be connected to the diffraction of matter wavesthrough a dimensionless parameter, the Fresnel parameter.

Further, the analysis is extended to include situationswhere a transition to completely non-adiabatic dynamics takesplace. Here it is found that focusing of matter waves due toenergy redistribution at the end of adiabatic guiding isdetermined by the Fresnel parameter found earlier. In theadiabatic regime, the essential dynamics in the directiontransverse to the minimal valley of the guiding potentialstructure occurs at a time-scale much shorter than that ofchanges in the propagating direction. As a result of this,reection of matter waves is likely to occur unless the changesare made over very long distances.

The formalism of adiabatic propagation is also applied thesituation of splitting of matter waves in potential structures.It is found that the adiabaticity criteria are identical tothose for a single guide of spatially varying width. Aformulation of adiabatic splitting in terms of states localizedclose to either of the two minima is developed. The inuence oflongitudinal localization on the splitting of coherentsuperposition states is examined and found to be described by asimple analytical expression.

The field of atom optics has progressed rapidly over the past 20 years since the realisation of Bose-Einstein condensation, such that the wave behaviour of atomic gases is now routinely demonstrated. Furthermore, the study of quantum atom optics, which goes beyond a ‘mean-field’ description of quantum systems to consider the behaviour of single particles, has demonstrated both the similarities between photons and massive species, and their differences as a result of the internal structure and external interactions of atoms. An important class of observable quantities which allow such effects to be measured are nth order correlation functions, which can be interpreted as a result of either particle or wave behaviour. These functions provide a statistical description of fluctuations in n-tuples of particles in a source, which rigorously defines concepts such as coherence. The quantum statistics of a Bose-Einstein condensate should be the same as that for an optical laser, while an ideal thermal Bose gas matches the behaviour of incoherent light. However, correlation measurements can also be used to quantify the influence of interactions, dimensionality, confining potentials and waveguides, and the difference in quantum statistics between fermions and bosons, which illustrates the rich range of behaviour exhibited by atomic gases. In this thesis, several aspects of quantum atom optics are explored with experiments using ultracold metastable helium, a species with the unique advantage of facilitating simple single-atom detection with high resolution, while still allowing Bose-Einstein condensates to be formed. The coherence of atomic systems is shown to be maintained when outcoupled as pulsed atom lasers, and the long-range order characteristic of Bose-Einstein condensates is demonstrated to third order for the first time. Conversely, thermal bunching is observed for a variety of atomic systems, including the measurement of correlation functions up to sixth order with near-ideal interference contrast. These results clearly demonstrate the correspondence between the quantum statistics of photons and atoms as was formalised by Glauber, as well as confirming the validity of applying Wick’s theorem to simplify the statistics of atomic gases. Correlation functions are also shown to be an ideal tool to probe the quantum state of an ultracold gas, and were used to observe the phenomenon of transverse condensation in an elongated Bose gas, as well as characterise the mode occupancy of matter waves guided by an optical potential. Ultracold metastable helium is also suitable for exploring other fundamental topics in quantum optics such particle/wave duality. The notion of complementarity stimulated long running philosophical discussions about how apparently mutually exclusive behaviours can coexist, which culminated in Wheeler devising his famous ‘delayed choice’ gedankenexperiment. A proposed experimental method to realise Wheeler’s experiment with ultracold atoms is discussed, and preliminary measurements presented which indicate that the completion of this experiment could be achieved in the near future. Not only is this of interest in its own right, but the implementation of this experiment has also developed techniques which may enable further studies in quantum atom optics such as investigations of the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect and quantum entanglement with massive particles.

AbstractOtto Stern became famous for molecular beam physics, matter-wave research and the discovery of the electron spin, with his work guiding several generations of physicists and chemists. Here we discuss how his legacy has inspired the realization of universal interferometers, which prepare matter waves from atomic, molecular, cluster or eventually nanoparticle beams. Such universal interferometers have proven to be sensitive tools for quantum-assisted force measurements, building on Stern’s pioneering work on electric and magnetic deflectometry. The controlled shift and dephasing of interference fringes by external electric, magnetic or optical fields have been used to determine internal properties of a vast class of particles in a unified experimental framework.

In the domain of light emissions, quantum mechanics has been an immensely successful guiding tool for us. In the propagation of light and optical instrument design, Huygens-Fresnel diffraction integral (HFDI) (or its advanced versions) and Maxwell’s wave equation are continuing to be the essential guiding tools for optical scientists and engineers. In fact, most branches of optical science and engineering, like optical instrument design, image processing, Fourier optics, Holography, etc., cannot exist without using the foundational postulates behind the Huygens-Fresnel diffraction integral. Further, the field of structured light is also growing where phases and the state of polarizations are manipulated usually with suitable classical macro-devices to create wave fronts that restructured through light-matter interactions through these devices. Mathematical modeling of generating such complex wave fronts generally follows classical concepts and classical macro tools of physical optics. Some of these complex light beams can impart mechanical angular momentum and spin-like properties to material particles inserted inside these structured beams because of their electromagnetic dipolar properties and/or structural anisotropy. Does that mean these newly structured beams have acquired new quantum properties without being generated through quantum devices and quantum transitions? In this chapter, we bridge the classical and quantum formalism by defining a hybrid photon (HP). HP is a quantum of energy, hν, at the initial moment of emission. It then immediately evolves into a classical time-finite wave packet, still transporting the original energy, hν, with a classical carrier frequency ν (oscillation of the E-vector). This chapter will raise enquiring questions whether all these observed “quantum-like” behaviors are manifestations of the joint properties of interacting material particles with classical EM waves or are causal implications of the existence of propagation of “indivisible light quanta” with exotic properties like spin, angular momentum, etc.

Abstract The concepts of topological insulators in condensed matter physics have been harnessed in elastic metamaterials to obtain quasi-lossless and omnidirectional guiding of elastic waves. Initial studies concerning topological wave propagation in elastic metamaterials focused on localizing waves in 1D or 2D mechanical structures. More recent investigations involving topological metamaterials have uncovered methodologies to achieve unprecedented control of elastic waves in 3D structures. However, a 3D topological metamaterial that can be tuned online to expand functionalities and respond to external conditions has yet to be developed. To advance the state of the art, this research proposes a tunable 3D elastic metamaterial that enables the reconfiguration of a topological waveguide through the switching of metastable states. Through careful design of internal bistable elements in the metastable unit cell, a switching methodology is developed to obtain topologically distinct lattices and a full topological bandgap. Analysis of the dispersion relation for a supercell reveals the presence of a topological surface state at the interface of topologically distinct lattices. Full-scale finite element simulations illustrate topological wave propagation in a 3D structure with a path that can be tailored on-demand. The research outcomes presented in this paper could be beneficial to potential applications requiring programmable and robust energy transport in 3D mechanical structures and serve as an inspiration for further work in adaptive 3D topological metamaterials.