Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Loss, revival and regain of atomic interference: An explanation grounded on the momentum transfer during photon-atom scattering events

Ángel S. Sanz, Bulevar Kralja, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones

Published Jun 2, 2010• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

Here, interference visibility in a three-grating atom interferometer with presence of photon-atom scattering events is analyzed. The model considered is entirely based on the atom wave function and the effects caused on it by both scattering events and subsequent diffractions through the interferometer gratings. A functional dependence of the interference visibility on the probability distribution of transferred momentum (by the photons) to the atoms is thus found, which is used to interpret the available experimental data. Within this model there is no need, therefore, to appeal for concepts such as “which-way” information or entanglement to explain the losses, revivals and regains of quantum coherence in this type of experiments. Rather, visibility losses and revivals are explained in terms of the sudden change induced in the atomic wave function by the momentum transfer, while regains are directly related to the visibility functional dependence on the statistical distribution of transferred momentum of the sample of atoms selected after passing through the interferometer (before they are detected).

Related papers

Coherence loss and revivals in atomic interferometry: a quantum-recoil analysis

M Davidović, Ángel S. Sanz, M Božić +1 more

The coherence effects induced by external photons coupled to matter waves inside a Mach–Zehnder three-grating interferometer are analyzed. Alternatively to atom–photon entanglement scenarios, the model considered here only relies on the atomic wavefunction and the momentum shift induced in it by the photon scattering events. A functional dependence is thus found between the observables, namely the fringe visibility and the phase shift, and the transversal momentum transfer distribution. Good quantitative agreement is found when comparing the results obtained from our model with the experimental data.

arXiv:1006.0450•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Apr 4, 2012•3 citations

On the influence of resonance photon scattering on atom interference

M Božić, D. Arsenović, Ángel S. Sanz +1 more

Here, the influence of resonance photon-atom scattering on the atom interference pattern at the exit of a three-grating Mach-Zehnder interferometer is studied.It is assumed that the scattering process does not destroy the atomic wave function describing the state of the atom before the scattering process takes place, but only induces a certain shift and change of its phase.We find that the visibility of the interference strongly depends on the statistical distribution of transferred momenta to the atom during the photon-atom scattering event.This also explains the experimentally observed (Chapman et al 1995 Phys.Rev. Lett.75 2783) dependence of the visibility on the ratio d p /λ i = y 12 (2π/kdλ i ), where y 12 is the distance between the place where the scattering event occurs and the first grating, k is the wave number of the atomic centre-of-mass motion, d is the grating constant and λ i is the photon wavelength.Furthermore, it is remarkable that photon-atom scattering events happen experimentally within the Fresnel region, i.e. the near-field region, associated with the first grating, which should be taken into account when drawing conclusions about the relevance of 'which-way' information for the interference visibility.

arXiv:0910.2979•Physica Scripta•Sep 1, 2010•4 citations

Evolution of the wave function of an atom hit by a photon in a three-grating interferometer

D. Arsenović, Mirjana Božić, Ángel S. Sanz +1 more

In 1995, Chapman et al (1995 Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 2783) showed experimentally that the interference contrast in a three-grating atom interferometer does not vanish in the presence of scattering events with photons, as required by the complementarity principle. In this work, we present an analytical study of this experiment by determining the evolution of an atom's wave function along the three-grating Mach–Zehnder interferometer under the assumption that the atom is hit by a photon after passing through the first grating. The consideration of a transverse wave function in momentum representation is essential in this study. As is shown, the number of atoms transmitted through the third grating is given by a simple periodic function of the lateral shift along this grating, both in the absence and in the presence of photon scattering. Moreover, the relative contrast (laser on/laser off) is shown to be a simple analytical function of the ratio d p /λ i , where d p is the distance between atomic paths at the scattering locus and λ i the scattered photon wavelength. We argue that this dependence, being in agreement with experimental results, can be considered as showing compatibility between the wave and corpuscle properties of atoms.

arXiv:0905.2405•Physica Scripta•Jul 1, 2009•5 citations

Visibility of interference in Feynman's atomic light microscope

D. Arsenović, Mirjana Božić

The visibility of the interference pattern in Feynman's atomic light microscope is studied theoretically using the evolution of the wave function of individual atoms passing through a double slit grating and interacting with laser light (of the wave vector ki). Assuming that the slits' width (δ) is much smaller than the slits' distance (d), the expressions for visibility as functions of dki were derived for uniform and for Mandel distribution of transferred momentum during photon atom resonance scattering. The decreasing of oscillations of visibility with increasing dki was explained taking into account the wave functions of individual atoms and the statistics of transverse momentum transferred to atoms. The influence of nonnegligible slits' width on visibility was studied numerically. It is found that revivals are present for infinitesimally wide slits as well as when slits have finite width.

Physica Scripta•Feb 1, 2012•1 citation

Photon Scattering from Atoms in an Atom Interferometer: Coherence Lost and Regained

Michael Chapman, Troy D. Hammond, Alan Lenef +4 more

We have scattered single photons from interfering de Broglie waves in an atom interferometer and observed contrast loss and revivals as the separation of the interfering paths at the point of scattering is increased. Additionally, we have demonstrated that the lost coherence can be recovered by observing only atoms that are correlated with photons emitted into a limited angular range.

Physical Review Letters•Nov 20, 1995•244 citations

Atom Interferometers and Atomic Coherence

David E. Pritchard, Michael Chapman, Troy D. Hammond +5 more

Atom interferometers are powerful tools for the study of fundamental issues in quantum mechanics. This paper describes the use of our atom interferometer [1] for an experimental realization of Feynman's gedanken experiment in which the observation of photons scattered off of particles emerging from a double slit is used to obtain which path information. This determination, in principal, of the particle's path, destroys any interference effects downstream. The interference can be regained by observing only those particles which scatter a photon into a small range of final directions.

Fortschritte der Physik•Nov 1, 1998•1 citation
Here, interference visibility in a three-grating atom interferometer with presence of photon-atom scattering events is analyzed. The model considered is entirely based on the atom wave function and the effects caused on it by both scattering events and subsequent diffractions through the interferometer gratings. A functional dependence of the interference visibility on the probability distribution of transferred momentum (by the photons) to the atoms is thus found, which is used to interpret the available experimental data. Within this model there is no need, therefore, to appeal for concepts such as “which-way” information or entanglement to explain the losses, revivals and regains of quantum coherence in this type of experiments. Rather, visibility losses and revivals are explained in terms of the sudden change induced in the atomic wave function by the momentum transfer, while regains are directly related to the visibility functional dependence on the statistical distribution of transferred momentum of the sample of atoms selected after passing through the interferometer (before they are detected).
The coherence effects induced by external photons coupled to matter waves inside a Mach–Zehnder three-grating interferometer are analyzed. Alternatively to atom–photon entanglement scenarios, the model considered here only relies on the atomic wavefunction and the momentum shift induced in it by the photon scattering events. A functional dependence is thus found between the observables, namely the fringe visibility and the phase shift, and the transversal momentum transfer distribution. Good quantitative agreement is found when comparing the results obtained from our model with the experimental data.
Here, the influence of resonance photon-atom scattering on the atom interference pattern at the exit of a three-grating Mach-Zehnder interferometer is studied.It is assumed that the scattering process does not destroy the atomic wave function describing the state of the atom before the scattering process takes place, but only induces a certain shift and change of its phase.We find that the visibility of the interference strongly depends on the statistical distribution of transferred momenta to the atom during the photon-atom scattering event.This also explains the experimentally observed (Chapman et al 1995 Phys.Rev. Lett.75 2783) dependence of the visibility on the ratio d p /λ i = y 12 (2π/kdλ i ), where y 12 is the distance between the place where the scattering event occurs and the first grating, k is the wave number of the atomic centre-of-mass motion, d is the grating constant and λ i is the photon wavelength.Furthermore, it is remarkable that photon-atom scattering events happen experimentally within the Fresnel region, i.e. the near-field region, associated with the first grating, which should be taken into account when drawing conclusions about the relevance of 'which-way' information for the interference visibility.
In 1995, Chapman et al (1995 Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 2783) showed experimentally that the interference contrast in a three-grating atom interferometer does not vanish in the presence of scattering events with photons, as required by the complementarity principle. In this work, we present an analytical study of this experiment by determining the evolution of an atom's wave function along the three-grating Mach–Zehnder interferometer under the assumption that the atom is hit by a photon after passing through the first grating. The consideration of a transverse wave function in momentum representation is essential in this study. As is shown, the number of atoms transmitted through the third grating is given by a simple periodic function of the lateral shift along this grating, both in the absence and in the presence of photon scattering. Moreover, the relative contrast (laser on/laser off) is shown to be a simple analytical function of the ratio d p /λ i , where d p is the distance between atomic paths at the scattering locus and λ i the scattered photon wavelength. We argue that this dependence, being in agreement with experimental results, can be considered as showing compatibility between the wave and corpuscle properties of atoms.
The visibility of the interference pattern in Feynman's atomic light microscope is studied theoretically using the evolution of the wave function of individual atoms passing through a double slit grating and interacting with laser light (of the wave vector ki). Assuming that the slits' width (δ) is much smaller than the slits' distance (d), the expressions for visibility as functions of dki were derived for uniform and for Mandel distribution of transferred momentum during photon atom resonance scattering. The decreasing of oscillations of visibility with increasing dki was explained taking into account the wave functions of individual atoms and the statistics of transverse momentum transferred to atoms. The influence of nonnegligible slits' width on visibility was studied numerically. It is found that revivals are present for infinitesimally wide slits as well as when slits have finite width.
Atom interferometers are powerful tools for the study of fundamental issues in quantum mechanics. This paper describes the use of our atom interferometer [1] for an experimental realization of Feynman's gedanken experiment in which the observation of photons scattered off of particles emerging from a double slit is used to obtain which path information. This determination, in principal, of the particle's path, destroys any interference effects downstream. The interference can be regained by observing only those particles which scatter a photon into a small range of final directions.