Nonlinear and quantum atom optics

Coherent matter waves in the form of Bose-Einstein condensates have led to the development of nonlinear and quantum atom optics - the de Broglie wave analogues of nonlinear and quantum optics with light. In nonlinear atom optics, four-wave mixing of matter waves and mixing of combinations of light and matter waves have been observed; such progress culminated in the demonstration of phase-coherent matter-wave amplification. Solitons represent another active area in nonlinear atom optics: these non-dispersing propagating modes of the equation that governs Bose-Einstein condensates have been created experimentally, and observed subsequently to break up into vortices. Quantum atom optics is concerned with the statistical properties and correlations of matter-wave fields. A first step in this area is the measurement of reduced number fluctuations in a Bose-Einstein condensate partitioned into a series of optical potential wells.     

Decoherence of matter waves by thermal emission of radiation

Emergent quantum technologies have led to increasing interest in decoherence--the processes that limit the appearance of quantum effects and turn them into classical phenomena. One important cause of decoherence is the interaction of a quantum system with its environment, which 'entangles' the two and distributes the quantum coherence over so many degrees of freedom as to render it unobservable. Decoherence theory has been complemented by experiments using matter waves coupled to external photons or molecules, and by investigations using coherent photon states, trapped ions and electron interferometers. Large molecules are particularly suitable for the investigation of the quantum-classical transition because they can store much energy in numerous internal degrees of freedom; the internal energy can be converted into thermal radiation and thus induce decoherence. Here we report matter wave interferometer experiments in which C70 molecules lose their quantum behaviour by thermal emission of radiation. We find good quantitative agreement between our experimental observations and microscopic decoherence theory. Decoherence by emission of thermal radiation is a general mechanism that should be relevant to all macroscopic bodies.     

Quantum superposition of distinct macroscopic states

In 1935, Schrodinger attempted to demonstrate the limitations of quantum mechanics using a thought experiment in which a cat is put in a quantum superposition of alive and dead states. The idea remained an academic curiosity until the 1980s when it was proposed that, under suitable conditions, a macroscopic object with many microscopic degrees of freedom could behave quantum mechanically, provided that it was sufficiently decoupled from its environment. Although much progress has been made in demonstrating the macroscopic quantum behaviour of various systems such as superconductors, nanoscale magnets, laser-cooled trapped ions, photons in a microwave cavity and C60 molecules, there has been no experimental demonstration of a quantum superposition of truly macroscopically distinct states. Here we present experimental evidence that a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) can be put into a superposition of two magnetic-flux states: one corresponding to a few microamperes of current flowing clockwise, the other corresponding to the same amount of current flowing anticlockwise.     

Relating the probability distribution of a de Broglie wave to its phase velocity

We show that the phase velocity in a stationary state of a de Broglie wave can be directly obtained from the probability distribution, i.e. the quantum trajectories, without detailed knowledge of the phase term itself. In other words, the amplitude of a de Broglie wave function describes not only the probability distribution but also the phase velocity distribution. Using this relationship, we comment on two calculations of the Goos-H nchen shift in de Broglie waves.     

大学物理中的波粒二象性概念的教法研究

从光电效应、光量子理论、康普顿散射效应、德布罗意物质波及其统计规律等方面对大学物理中波粒二象性概念的教学进行了的研究．     

Direct observation of Anderson localization of matter waves in a controlled disorder

In 1958, Anderson predicted the localization of electronic wavefunctions in disordered crystals and the resulting absence of diffusion. It is now recognized that Anderson localization is ubiquitous in wave physics because it originates from the interference between multiple scattering paths. Experimentally, localization has been reported for light waves, microwaves, sound waves and electron gases. However, there has been no direct observation of exponential spatial localization of matter waves of any type. Here we observe exponential localization of a Bose-Einstein condensate released into a one-dimensional waveguide in the presence of a controlled disorder created by laser speckle. We operate in a regime of pure Anderson localization, that is, with weak disorder-such that localization results from many quantum reflections of low amplitude-and an atomic density low enough to render interactions negligible. We directly image the atomic density profiles as a function of time, and find that weak disorder can stop the expansion and lead to the formation of a stationary, exponentially localized wavefunction-a direct signature of Anderson localization. We extract the localization length by fitting the exponential wings of the profiles, and compare it to theoretical calculations. The power spectrum of the one-dimensional speckle potentials has a high spatial frequency cutoff, causing exponential localization to occur only when the de Broglie wavelengths of the atoms in the expanding condensate are greater than an effective mobility edge corresponding to that cutoff. In the opposite case, we find that the density profiles decay algebraically, as predicted in ref. 13. The method presented here can be extended to localization of atomic quantum gases in higher dimensions, and with controlled interactions.     

波粒二象性理论与波速问题探讨

速度是宏观的概念;在量子力学中速度表示什么,本来无法回答。在半经典理论中,为重新定义速度,可取v→=▽S/m[m是粒子质量,S满足ψ=Aexp(j S/h)]。这样虽建立了速度与波函数的联系,却不是波科学中必需而有用的波速概念。真空中光速c是一个普遍性基本物理常数,量子力学显然也需要这个参数,亦即新波动力学需要这个物理量。从人类实践过程和结果看,科学家若企图确定c的最精确值,必须依靠标量方程c=fλ这样的标量描述才能实现。现代物理学认为波速度(相速vp、群速vg)是标量而非矢量。波动具有独特的科学性质,其规律与经典力学不同,它需要量子力学支持,又不等同于严格的量子力学。目前尚无单独一个理论能完美解释波科学问题,处在经典物理和量子物理并用的局面。电磁场的量子化过程为光的波粒二象性提供了基本的数学诠释,即连续展布于空间的电磁场在量子化后得到光子。尽管如此,"光子是什么"的难题仍困扰着科学家。通常认为电子的物质波是几率波,光子的波动是电磁波而非几率波。但在分析处理双光子纠缠时又在使用几率波理念,这样光子的波是什么仍未解决。另外,电子几率波与Schrdinger方程对应,但有一种观点认为光子几率波尚无可对应的波方程。另一方面,物质波相速的物理意义并不清晰;而de Broglie波的相速是超光速的,对此还需要更多的说明。类似的许多例子表明,波粒二象性仍是现代物理学中的一个待解之谜。最后,近年来对负波速(NWV)的研究既使波科学更加丰富,也为发展理论思维提供了新的契机。     

Quantum interference of superfluid 3He.

Celebrated interference experiments have demonstrated the wave nature of light and electrons, quantum interference being the manifestation of wave-particle duality. More recently, double-path interference experiments have also demonstrated the quantum-wave nature of beams of neutrons, atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates. In condensed matter systems, double-path quantum interference is observed in the d.c. superconducting quantum interference device (d.c. SQUID). Here we report a double-path quantum interference experiment involving a liquid: superfluid 3He. Using a geometry analogous to the superconducting d.c. SQUID, we control a quantum phase shift by using the rotation of the Earth, and find the classic interference pattern with periodicity determined by the 3He quantum of circulation.     

Quantum interference during high-order harmonic generation from aligned molecules

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) from atoms and molecules offers potential application as a coherent ultrashort radiation source in the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray regions. In the three-step model of HHG, an electron tunnels out from the atom and may recombine with the parent ion (emitting a high-energy photon) after undergoing laser-driven motion in the continuum. Aligned molecules can be used to study quantum phenomena in HHG associated with molecular symmetries; in particular, simultaneous observations of both ion yields and harmonic signals under the same conditions serve to disentangle the contributions from the ionization and recombination processes. Here we report evidence for quantum interference of electron de Broglie waves in the recombination process of HHG from aligned CO2 molecules. The interference takes place within a single molecule and within one optical cycle. Characteristic modulation patterns of the harmonic signals measured as a function of the pump-probe delay are explained with simple formulae determined by the valence orbital of the molecules. We propose that simultaneous observations of both ion yields and harmonic signals can serve as a new route to probe the instantaneous structure of molecular systems.     

Measurement of the spatial coherence of a trapped Bose gas at the phase transition

The experimental realization of Bose-Einstein condensates of dilute gases has allowed investigations of fundamental concepts in quantum mechanics at ultra-low temperatures, such as wave-like behaviour and interference phenomena. The formation of an interference pattern depends fundamentally on the phase coherence of a system; the latter may be quantified by the spatial correlation function. Phase coherence over a long range is the essential factor underlying Bose-Einstein condensation and related macroscopic quantum phenomena, such as superconductivity and superfluidity. Here we report a direct measurement of the phase coherence properties of a weakly interacting Bose gas of rubidium atoms. Effectively, we create a double slit for magnetically trapped atoms using a radio wave field with two frequency components. The correlation function of the system is determined by evaluating the interference pattern of two matter waves originating from the spatially separated 'slit' regions of the trapped gas. Above the critical temperature for Bose-Einstein condensation, the correlation function shows a rapid gaussian decay, as expected for a thermal gas. Below the critical temperature, the correlation function has a different shape: a slow decay towards a plateau is observed, indicating the long-range phase coherence of the condensate fraction.     

Nanomechanical oscillations in a single-C60 transistor

The motion of electrons through quantum dots is strongly modified by single-electron charging and the quantization of energy levels. Much effort has been directed towards extending studies of electron transport to chemical nanostructures, including molecules, nanocrystals and nanotubes. Here we report the fabrication of single-molecule transistors based on individual C60 molecules connected to gold electrodes. We perform transport measurements that provide evidence for a coupling between the centre-of-mass motion of the C60 molecules and single-electron hopping--a conduction mechanism that has not been observed previously in quantum dot studies. The coupling is manifest as quantized nano-mechanical oscillations of the C60 molecule against the gold surface, with a frequency of about 1.2 THz. This value is in good agreement with a simple theoretical estimate based on van der Waals and electrostatic interactions between C60 molecules and gold electrodes.     

量子力学曲率解释与物理学的统一

量子力学的曲率解释在物理学思想层面为谋求相对论与量子力学的统一迈出了一大步。在此结合学者们的一些新的研究,进一步讨论了相对论与量子力学的深层次统一问题,涉及从相对论变换推导量子假说,康普顿物质波与德布罗意物质波的关系,超光速现象在量子层面是否存在以及如何理解等问题。     

关于德布罗意假设和德布罗意波的教学探讨

阐述了德布罗意假设的背景、内容和实验验证，阐明了德布罗意波及其波速的概念，纠正了对德布罗意波的几种错误认识并提出正确解释；对于德布罗意假设和德布罗意波的教学具有参考价值．     

A complementarity experiment with an interferometer at the quantum-classical boundary

To illustrate the quantum mechanical principle of complementarity, Bohr described an interferometer with a microscopic slit that records the particle's path. Recoil of the quantum slit causes it to become entangled with the particle, resulting in a kind of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen pair. As the motion of the slit can be observed, the ambiguity of the particle's trajectory is lifted, suppressing interference effects. In contrast, the state of a sufficiently massive slit does not depend on the particle's path; hence, interference fringes are visible. Although many experiments illustrating various aspects of complementarity have been proposed and realized, none has addressed the quantum-classical limit in the design of the interferometer. Here we report an experimental investigation of complementarity using an interferometer in which the properties of one of the beam-splitting elements can be tuned continuously from being effectively microscopic to macroscopic. Following a recent proposal, we use an atomic double-pulse Ramsey interferometer, in which microwave pulses act as beam-splitters for the quantum states of the atoms. One of the pulses is a coherent field stored in a cavity, comprising a small, adjustable mean photon number. The visibility of the interference fringes in the final atomic state probability increases with this photon number, illustrating the quantum to classical transition.     

Indistinguishable photons from a single-photon device

Single-photon sources have recently been demonstrated using a variety of devices, including molecules, mesoscopic quantum wells, colour centres, trapped ions and semiconductor quantum dots. Compared with a Poisson-distributed source of the same intensity, these sources rarely emit two or more photons in the same pulse. Numerous applications for single-photon sources have been proposed in the field of quantum information, but most--including linear-optical quantum computation--also require consecutive photons to have identical wave packets. For a source based on a single quantum emitter, the emitter must therefore be excited in a rapid or deterministic way, and interact little with its surrounding environment. Here we test the indistinguishability of photons emitted by a semiconductor quantum dot in a microcavity through a Hong-Ou-Mandel-type two-photon interference experiment. We find that consecutive photons are largely indistinguishable, with a mean wave-packet overlap as large as 0.81, making this source useful in a variety of experiments in quantum optics and quantum information.     

A-C效应产生的物理机制及其理论诠释

利用电磁对偶原理与洛伦兹力矩的交叉耦合形式,重新对阿哈罗诺夫-凯什(Aharonov-Casher)效应产生的物理机制进行了解释.计算出了运动磁矩与电场之间的交叉耦合力矩、电磁系统的拉氏函数及正则动量.由此推出了带有磁矩的原子(属于中性粒子)在电场中的等效势能,该势能影响到了微观粒子波函数的位相,使得粒子的德布罗意波的衍射图样发生变化.因此从理论上得出:A-C效应中几何位相的移动,还存在物理来源,即交叉耦合力矩.     

相速度、群速度与德布罗意波

在介绍了相速度与群速度的概念后，由德布罗意关系出发，对实物粒子的波粒二象性进行了讨论，给出了实物粒子的运动速度正是德布罗意波的群速度。     

对四光子德布罗意波长测量实验的理论解释

采用对自发参量下转换过程产生的光子对的量子态和光场的非纠缠态描述,分析了由自发参量下转换过程产生的四光子的德布罗意波长测量的实验,得到了与实验观测相一致的结果。这一结果进一步验证了对自发参量下转换过程产生的光子对的量子态和光场的非纠缠态描述的正确性。     

Experimental violation of a Bell's inequality with efficient detection

Local realism is the idea that objects have definite properties whether or not they are measured, and that measurements of these properties are not affected by events taking place sufficiently far away. Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen used these reasonable assumptions to conclude that quantum mechanics is incomplete. Starting in 1965, Bell and others constructed mathematical inequalities whereby experimental tests could distinguish between quantum mechanics and local realistic theories. Many experiments have since been done that are consistent with quantum mechanics and inconsistent with local realism. But these conclusions remain the subject of considerable interest and debate, and experiments are still being refined to overcome 'loopholes' that might allow a local realistic interpretation. Here we have measured correlations in the classical properties of massive entangled particles (9Be+ ions): these correlations violate a form of Bell's inequality. Our measured value of the appropriate Bell's 'signal' is 2.25 +/- 0.03, whereas a value of 2 is the maximum allowed by local realistic theories of nature. In contrast to previous measurements with massive particles, this violation of Bell's inequality was obtained by use of a complete set of measurements. Moreover, the high detection efficiency of our apparatus eliminates the so-called 'detection' loophole.