Quantum interferometry with complex molecules
Markus Arndt, Klaus Hornberger
Summary. — This chapter reviews recent experiments on matter wave interferometry with large molecules. Starting from an elementary introduction to matter wave physics we discuss far-field diffraction and near-field interferometry with thermally excited many-body systems. We describe the constraints imposed by decoherence and dephasing effects, and present an outlook to the future challenges in macromolecule and cluster interferometry. PACS 03.75.-b – Matter waves. 1. – Historical introduction and overview The year 1923 is generally considered as the year of birth of matter wave physics. It is the year when Louis de Broglie proposed the idea that each material particle is accompanied by an oscillatory phenomenon [1]. De Broglie based his hypothesis on two discoveries: the energy-frequency equivalence for photons, E = ¯hω, and the energy-mass equivalence for matter, E = mc 2. While the first relation had already been central to Planck’s explanation of the black body spectrum [2] and to Einstein’s analysis of the photo effect [3], the latter was a consequence of Einstein’s theory of special relativity.
•Mar 9, 2009•10 citations