Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Optics

Discipline
Institution
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 61 - 63 of 63

Full-Text Articles in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Effects Of Relativity On The Time-Resolved Tunneling Of Electron Wave Packets, P Krekora, Q Su, Rainer Grobe Mar 2001

Effects Of Relativity On The Time-Resolved Tunneling Of Electron Wave Packets, P Krekora, Q Su, Rainer Grobe

Faculty publications – Physics

We solve numerically the time-dependent Dirac equation for a quantum wave packet tunneling through a potential barrier. We analyze the spatial probability distribution of the transmitted wave packet in the context of the possibility of effectively superluminal peak and front velocities of the electron during tunneling. Both the Dirac and Schrodinger theories predict superluminal tunneling speeds. However, in contrast to the Dirac theory the Schrodinger equation allows a possible violation of causality. Based on an analysis of the tunneling process in full temporal and spatial resolution, we introduce an instantaneous tunneling speed that can be computed inside the potential barrier.

Go to article

Dirac Theory Of Ring-Shaped Electron Distributions In Atoms, P Krekora, R E. Wagner, Q Su, Rainer Grobe Feb 2001

Dirac Theory Of Ring-Shaped Electron Distributions In Atoms, P Krekora, R E. Wagner, Q Su, Rainer Grobe

Faculty publications – Physics

The time-dependent Dirac equation is solved numerically on a space-time grid for an atom in a strong static magnetic field and a laser field. The resonantly induced relativistic motion of the atomic electron leads to a ringlike spatial probability density similar to the features that have been recently predicted [Wagner, Su, and Grobe, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 3282 (2000)] based on a phase-space method. We further demonstrate that spin-orbit coupling for a fast-moving electron in such an atom becomes significant and the time dependence of the spin can dephase even if initially aligned parallel to the direction of the static …

Go to article

Classical Versus Quantum Dynamics For A Driven Relativistic Oscillator, Rainer Grobe, Qichang Su, P J. Peverly, R E. Wagner Mar 2000

Classical Versus Quantum Dynamics For A Driven Relativistic Oscillator, Rainer Grobe, Qichang Su, P J. Peverly, R E. Wagner

Faculty publications – Physics

We compare the time evolution of the quantum-mechanical spatial probability density obtained by solving the time-dependent Dirac equation with its classical counterpart obtained from the relativistic Liouville equation for the phase-space density in a regime in which the dynamics is essentially relativistic. For a resonantly driven one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, the simplest nontrivial model system to perform this comparison, we find that, despite the nonlinearity induced by relativity, the classical ensemble description matches the quantum evolution remarkably well.

Go to article

First Prev