Published March 13, 1997 | Version v1
Journal article

Measurement of the Wigner function of an ensemble of helium atoms

  • 1. Konstanz Univ. (Germany). Fakultaet fuer Physik

Description

Beams of atoms can exhibit interference and diffraction phenomena just like waves of light. For a coherent beam of helium atoms in a double-slit experiment, measurements of the quantum-mechanical analogue of the classical phase-space distribution function show that the motion of atoms behave in a strongly non-classical manner. (author)

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Nature (London)
Journal Volume
386
Journal Issue
6621
Journal Page Range
p. 150-153.
ISSN
0028-0836
CODEN
NATUAS

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
United Kingdom
INIS RN
28045947
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Resource subtype / Literary indicator
Numerical Data
Descriptors DEI
ATOMIC BEAM DIFFRACTION; ATOMIC BEAMS; DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; HELIUM 4; INTERFERENCE; PHASE SPACE; QUANTUM MECHANICS
Descriptors DEC
BEAMS; COHERENT SCATTERING; DATA; DIFFRACTION; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; HELIUM ISOTOPES; INFORMATION; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; MATHEMATICAL SPACE; MECHANICS; NUCLEI; NUMERICAL DATA; SCATTERING; SPACE; STABLE ISOTOPES