Speaker
Mr
Nathan Cooper
(University of Southampton)
Description
Abstract
Matter-wave interferometry is well understood, and there have been
several experimental demonstrations | even with particles as large and
complex as molecules. While the centre of mass (COM) motion of such
particles is controlled very precisely, internal spin properties can aect
the motion if both degrees of freedom are coupled. This can be used in
a twofold way: it can map the spin properties onto the COM motion to
analyse them, or it can be used to manipulate the COM motion. A far
future goal of this coupling can be to show quantum entanglement of
external with internal degrees of freedom. We will report on our approach
to understanding the details of magnetic coupling of the COM motion of
particles to their spin. We nd that the properties of Rb atoms make
them a very appropriate test species with which to prototype novel
interferometric techniques involving magnetic spin-COM coupling, and we
propose some examples of such new techniques and explain how we
intend to realise them experimentally. We also analyse and simulate the
proposed experiments using a recently developed theoretical formalism
that provides an extension of the Wigner function description of matter
wave propagation to particles whose internal state strongly
infuences their interactions with externally applied elds. Extension
of these techniques to much larger particles than atoms opens the door
to test the foundations of quantum theory.
