Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate
Zitterbewegung, a force-free trembling motion first predicted for relativistic fermions like electrons, was an unexpected consequence of the Dirac equation's unification of quantum mechanics and special relativity. Though the oscillatory motion's large frequency and small amplitude have pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2013-01-01
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| Series: | New Journal of Physics |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/15/7/073011 |
| _version_ | 1797751593437757440 |
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| author | L J LeBlanc M C Beeler K Jiménez-García A R Perry S Sugawa R A Williams I B Spielman |
| author_facet | L J LeBlanc M C Beeler K Jiménez-García A R Perry S Sugawa R A Williams I B Spielman |
| author_sort | L J LeBlanc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Zitterbewegung, a force-free trembling motion first predicted for relativistic fermions like electrons, was an unexpected consequence of the Dirac equation's unification of quantum mechanics and special relativity. Though the oscillatory motion's large frequency and small amplitude have precluded its measurement with electrons, zitterbewegung is observable via quantum simulation. We engineered an environment for ^ 87 Rb Bose–Einstein condensates where the constituent atoms behaved like relativistic particles subject to the one-dimensional Dirac equation. With direct imaging, we observed the sub-micrometre trembling motion of these clouds, demonstrating the utility of neutral ultracold quantum gases for simulating Dirac particles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:50:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9776af3939ed4e5a88bba33b87377477 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1367-2630 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:50:47Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | New Journal of Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9776af3939ed4e5a88bba33b873774772023-08-08T11:10:33ZengIOP PublishingNew Journal of Physics1367-26302013-01-0115707301110.1088/1367-2630/15/7/073011Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensateL J LeBlanc0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9156-6100M C Beeler1K Jiménez-García2A R Perry3S Sugawa4R A Williams5I B Spielman6Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA; Departamento de Física, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional , México, DF 07360, MexicoJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and University of Maryland , Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USAZitterbewegung, a force-free trembling motion first predicted for relativistic fermions like electrons, was an unexpected consequence of the Dirac equation's unification of quantum mechanics and special relativity. Though the oscillatory motion's large frequency and small amplitude have precluded its measurement with electrons, zitterbewegung is observable via quantum simulation. We engineered an environment for ^ 87 Rb Bose–Einstein condensates where the constituent atoms behaved like relativistic particles subject to the one-dimensional Dirac equation. With direct imaging, we observed the sub-micrometre trembling motion of these clouds, demonstrating the utility of neutral ultracold quantum gases for simulating Dirac particles.https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/15/7/073011 |
| spellingShingle | L J LeBlanc M C Beeler K Jiménez-García A R Perry S Sugawa R A Williams I B Spielman Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate New Journal of Physics |
| title | Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate |
| title_full | Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate |
| title_fullStr | Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate |
| title_short | Direct observation of zitterbewegung in a Bose–Einstein condensate |
| title_sort | direct observation of zitterbewegung in a bose einstein condensate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/15/7/073011 |
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