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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 89 » Issue 6
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 060404 (2002) [4 pages]

In- and Outbound Spreading of a Free-Particle s-Wave

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I. Białynicki-Birula1,2, M. A. Cirone2, J. P. Dahl2,3, M. Fedorov2,4, and W. P. Schleich2
1Center for Theoretical Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Aleja Lotników 32/46, 02-668, Warsaw, Poland
2Abteilung für Quantenphysik, Universität Ulm, D-89069 Ulm, Germany
3Chemical Physics, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, DTU 207, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
4General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow 117942 Russia

Received 17 October 2001; published 23 July 2002

We show that a free quantum particle in two dimensions with zero angular momentum (s wave) in the form of a ring-shaped wave packet feels an attraction towards the center of the ring, leading first to a contraction followed by an expansion. An experiment to demonstrate this effect is also outlined.

© 2002 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.060404
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.060404
PACS:
03.65.Nk, 67.40.Vs
 
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