Speaker
Dr
Sven Ahrens
(Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik)
Description
The Kapitza-Dirac effect is the diffraction of electrons at a standing wave of light [1]. We solve the relativistic quantum dynamics of this electron diffraction by integrating the Dirac equation numerically and perturbatively in momentum space and demonstrate that spin-flips can be observed in the Kapitza-Dirac effect with three interacting photons [2]. Our recent work shows that significant spin effects may also appear in the well known Kapitza-Dirac effect with two interacting photons [3,4] and we describe the spin dynamics as a rotation of the spin of the diffracted electron [5]. Furthermore, our numerical solution allows us to analyze the in-field quantum dynamics of the diffraction process and to verify a generalized Rabi theory for the description of the Bragg condition of the Kapitza-Dirac effect.
[1] P. L. Kapitza, P. A. M. Dirac, Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 29, 297-300 (1933)
[2] S. Ahrens, H. Bauke, C. H. Keitel, C. Müller, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 043601 (2012)
[3] D. L. Freimund, K. Aflatooni, H. Batelaan, Nature 413, 142-143 (2001)
[4] D. L. Freimund and H. Batelaan, Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 283602 (2002)
[5] S. Ahrens, H. Bauke, C. H. Keitel, C. Müller, arXiv:1305.5507 [quant-ph] (2013)
Primary author
Dr
Sven Ahrens
(Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik)
Co-authors
Prof.
Carsten Müller
(Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf)
Prof.
Christoph Keitel
(Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik)
Dr
Heiko Bauke
(Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik)
