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CC BY-NC-SA V4.0, Open Access
Dissertation
Applications of Quantum Interference in Bose-Einstein Systems
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
05/2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000006565
Abstract
We present theoretical and numerical techniques useful for the description of atom interferometric experiments of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). Methods of semiclassical physics are explored in an effort to describe dilute BEC systems efficiently and from simple physical principles. In particular, we develop the WKB (Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin) approximation for quantum wavefunctions using the classical trajectories of particles to calculate their action. We apply these techniques to a variety of system geometries, and in cases of one and two-component systems. A manuscript is presented demonstrating the imaging of differential potentials for a two-component BEC atom laser subject to weak external potentials. We then analyze a single-component suite of expansion experiments where the potential geometry causes the classical trajectories of particles to overlap. The resulting caustics indicate regions where the quantum system is self-interfering, giving rise to matter-wave interference. Cases where the WKB technique break down are discussed. The techniques presented assist in intuitive understanding of quantum interference and facilitate the description of experiment in a computationally inexpensive framework.
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Details
- Title
- Applications of Quantum Interference in Bose-Einstein Systems
- Creators
- Ryan A. Corbin
- Contributors
- Michael McNeil Forbes (Chair)Fred Gittes (Committee Member)Matt Duez (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 124
- Identifiers
- 99901121533901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation