2007/02/28 by Ángel S. Sanz, A. S. Sanz, S. Miret‐Artés +1 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1063/1.2741555
published as J. Chem. Phys. 126, 234106 (2007) · 12 pages, 6 figures
openalex publication_date 2007/06/18 · arxiv created 2007/06/19 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A well-known phenomenon in both optics and quantum mechanics is the so-called Talbot effect. This near field interference effect arises when infinitely periodic diffracting structures or gratings are illuminated by highly coherent light or particle beams. Typical diffraction patterns known as quantum carpets are then observed. Here the authors provide an insightful picture of this nonlocal phenomenon as well as its classical limit in terms of Bohmian mechanics, also showing the causal reasons and conditions that explain its appearance. As an illustration, theoretical results obtained from diffraction of thermal He atoms by both N-slit arrays and weak corrugated surfaces are analyzed and discussed. Moreover, the authors also explain in terms of what they call the Talbot-Beeby effect how realistic interaction potentials induce shifts and distortions in the corresponding quantum carpets.