Diffraction in time: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Diffraction of matter waves at the quantum scale}}

In [[quantum physics]], '''Diffractiondiffraction in time''' is a phenomenon associated with the [[quantum dynamics]] of suddenly released [[matter waves]] initially [[Quantum confinement|confined]] in a region of space. It was introduced in 1952 by Ukrainian-Mexican physicist [[Marcos Moshinsky]] with the ''shutter problem''.<ref name="moshinsky">

</ref> A matter-wave beam stopped by an absorbing shutter exhibits an oscillatory density profile during its propagation after removal of the shutter. Whenever this propagation is accurately described by the time-dependent [[Schrödinger equation]], the transient [[wave functionsfunction]]s resemble the solutions that appear for the [[Luminous intensity|intensity]] of light subject to [[Fresnel diffraction]] by a straight edge. For this reason, the transient phenomenon was dubbed '''[[diffraction]] in time''' and has since then been recognised as ubiquitous in quantum dynamics.<ref name="kleber">

</ref> The experimental confirmation of this phenomenon was only achieved about half a century later in the group of [[ultracold atomsatom]]s directed by [[Jean Dalibard]].<ref name="dalibard">