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LASER TRAPPING OF RADIOACTIVE ATOMS

Gene D. Sprouse, Luis A. Orozco

▪ Abstract Light forces acting on radioactive atoms confine them in cold samples of large phase space density. We describe the processes of radioactive atom production, reduction of their velocity, and capture. The trapped atoms form excellent sources for the study of atomic parity non-conservation, β decay and α decay asymmetries, and other weak interactions.

Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle ScienceDec 1, 199753 citations

A Note On Determinism, Predictability, and Indeterminism in Atomic Physics

Jørgen Jørgensen

Danish Yearbook of PhilosophyAug 4, 19650 citations

The Original Schrödinger's Cat Revisited: The First Decay

dong ZHANG

Schrödinger's original Cat explicitly refers to both “one of the atoms decays” and “the first atomic decay.” This paper examines the first decay occurrence of a finite radioactive sample. Let t₁ denote the time of the first atomic decay. Existing quantities such as half-life, decay constant, mean lifetime, and activity describe radioactive decay collectively, whereas t₁ identifies the first actual decay occurrence of a particular sample. Probability theory contains well-developed treatments of first occurrences, including waiting times, first-arrival times, first-passage times, hitting times, and related stochastic processes. Such treatments require information about the underlying process. This raises two distinct questions for radioactive decay: what information determines the probability distribution of t₁, and what information, if any, determines the actual t₁ of a particular finite sample of a given radioactive isotope before the first decay occurs?Schrödinger's original Cat explicitly refers to both “one of the atoms decays” and “the first atomic decay.” This paper examines the first decay occurrence of a finite radioactive sample. Let t₁ denote the time of the first atomic decay. Existing quantities such as half-life, decay constant, mean lifetime, and activity describe radioactive decay collectively, whereas t₁ identifies the first actual decay occurrence of a particular sample. Probability theory contains well-developed treatments of first occurrences, including waiting times, first-arrival times, first-passage times, hitting times, and related stochastic processes. Such treatments require information about the underlying process. This raises two distinct questions for radioactive decay: what information determines the probability distribution of t₁, and what information, if any, determines the actual t₁ of a particular finite sample of a given radioactive isotope before the first decay occurs?

Aug 25, 20260 citations

Determinism in Quantum Physics

John Earman

Springer eBooksJan 1, 19860 citations

The Original Schrödinger's Cat Revisited: Isolated Systems

dong ZHANG

Schrödinger's original Cat places a radioactive substance, Geiger counter, relay, hammer, poison, and cat inside a closed steel chamber and leaves “this entire system” to itself for one hour. The construction is commonly treated as an isolated system. This paper examines what isolation means in the thought experiment. Physical isolation, causal connection, and information available about individual members of a system are different conditions. A comparison with human mortality illustrates the distinction. An actuary may possess individual information such as birthdays and living habits, yet has no probability information about when the first death claim will occur; it may come at any time and at any probability. For radioactive atoms, the standard description supplies no comparable individual information and treats atoms of the same isotope as identical or dismisses their differences for radioactive decay. Schrödinger's Cat therefore raises a question beyond the physical isolation of the steel box: what information about individual radioactive atoms is available to determine the first decay?Schrödinger's original Cat places a radioactive substance, Geiger counter, relay, hammer, poison, and cat inside a closed steel chamber and leaves “this entire system” to itself for one hour. The construction is commonly treated as an isolated system. This paper examines what isolation means in the thought experiment. Physical isolation, causal connection, and information available about individual members of a system are different conditions. A comparison with human mortality illustrates the distinction. An actuary may possess individual information such as birthdays and living habits, yet has no probability information about when the first death claim will occur; it may come at any time and at any probability. For radioactive atoms, the standard description supplies no comparable individual information and treats atoms of the same isotope as identical or dismisses their differences for radioactive decay. Schrödinger's Cat therefore raises a question beyond the physical isolation of the steel box: what information about individual radioactive atoms is available to determine the first decay?

Aug 25, 20260 citations

Is Quantum Mechanics Deterministic or Non-deterministic?

Kees van Hee, Kees van Berkel

Lecture notes in computer scienceJan 1, 20260 citations

Determinism in Physics

Abstract

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Determinism in Physics

Abstract

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