Quantum motion of a neutron in a waveguide in the gravitational field
- P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, 53 Leninsky prospekt, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation)
We study theoretically the quantum motion of a neutron in a horizontal waveguide in the gravitational field of the Earth. The waveguide in question is equipped with a mirror below and a rough surface absorber above. We show that such a system acts as a quantum filter, i.e. it effectively absorbs quantum states with sufficiently high transversal energy but transmits low-energy states. The states transmitted are determined mainly by the potential well formed by the gravitational field of the Earth and the mirror. The formalism developed for quantum motion in an absorbing waveguide is applied to the description of the recent experiment on the observation of the quantum states of neutrons in the Earth's gravitational field.
- OSTI ID:
- 20776767
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 73, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.73.044029; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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