An atom optics experiment to investigate faster-than-light tunneling

Abstract

We describe a series of atom optics experiments underway at Toronto for investigating tunnelling interaction times of various sorts. We begin by discussing some outstanding issues and confusions related to the question of whether or not superluminal tunnelling can be construed as true faster-than-light ``signal propagation,'' a question which we answer in the negative. We then argue that atom optics is an arena ideally suited for addressing a variety of remaining questions about how, where, and for how long a particle interacts with a tunnel barrier. We present recent results on a modified ``delta-kick cooling'' scheme which we have used to prepare Rubidium atoms with one-dimensional de Broglie wavelengths on the order of an optical wavelength, along with simulations showing that from these temperatures, we will be able to use acousto-optically modulated dipole-force barriers to velocity-select ultracold atom samples ideal for future tunnelling experiments.

6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Annalen der Physik as part of the Proceedings of the Cologne Workshop on Superluminal Velocities

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Experimental Realization of the Quantum Box Problem
• On the Localized superluminal Solutions to the Maxwell Equations
• Probing Quantum Violations of the Equivalence Principle
• Time of arrival through interacting environments: Tunneling processes
• Classical and Quantum Analysis of One Dimensional Velocity Selection for Ultracold Atoms