Observation of the spatial distribution of gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons and its derivation using the Wigner function

G. Ichikawa; S. Komamiya; Y. Kamiya; Y. Minami; M. Tani; P. Geltenbort; K. Yamamura; M. Nagano; T. Sanuki; S. Kawasaki; M. Hino; M. Kitaguchi

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.071101

Observation of the spatial distribution of gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons and its derivation using the Wigner function

G. Ichikawa, S. Komamiya, Y. Kamiya, Y. Minami, M. Tani, P. Geltenbort, K. Yamamura, M. Nagano, T. Sanuki, S. Kawasaki, M. Hino, M. Kitaguchi

SCI - Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ultracold neutrons (UCNs) can be bound by the potential of terrestrial gravity and a reflecting mirror. The wave function of the bound state has characteristic modulations. We carried out an experiment to observe the vertical distribution of the UCNs above such a mirror at the Institut Laue-Langevin in 2011. The observed modulation is in good agreement with that prediction by quantum mechanics using the Wigner function. The spatial resolution of the detector system is estimated to be 0.7 μm. This is the first observation of gravitationally bound states of UCNs with submicron spatial resolution.

Original language	English
Article number	071101
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	112
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.071101
Publication status	Published - 2014 Feb 19

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Ichikawa, G., Komamiya, S., Kamiya, Y., Minami, Y., Tani, M., Geltenbort, P., Yamamura, K., Nagano, M., Sanuki, T., Kawasaki, S., Hino, M., & Kitaguchi, M. (2014). Observation of the spatial distribution of gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons and its derivation using the Wigner function. Physical Review Letters, 112(7), Article 071101. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.071101

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abstract = "Ultracold neutrons (UCNs) can be bound by the potential of terrestrial gravity and a reflecting mirror. The wave function of the bound state has characteristic modulations. We carried out an experiment to observe the vertical distribution of the UCNs above such a mirror at the Institut Laue-Langevin in 2011. The observed modulation is in good agreement with that prediction by quantum mechanics using the Wigner function. The spatial resolution of the detector system is estimated to be 0.7 μm. This is the first observation of gravitationally bound states of UCNs with submicron spatial resolution.",

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Ichikawa, G, Komamiya, S, Kamiya, Y, Minami, Y, Tani, M, Geltenbort, P, Yamamura, K, Nagano, M, Sanuki, T, Kawasaki, S, Hino, M & Kitaguchi, M 2014, 'Observation of the spatial distribution of gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons and its derivation using the Wigner function', Physical Review Letters, vol. 112, no. 7, 071101. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.071101

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T1 - Observation of the spatial distribution of gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons and its derivation using the Wigner function

AU - Ichikawa, G.

AU - Komamiya, S.

AU - Kamiya, Y.

AU - Minami, Y.

AU - Tani, M.

AU - Geltenbort, P.

AU - Yamamura, K.

AU - Nagano, M.

AU - Sanuki, T.

AU - Kawasaki, S.

AU - Hino, M.

AU - Kitaguchi, M.

PY - 2014/2/19

Y1 - 2014/2/19

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AB - Ultracold neutrons (UCNs) can be bound by the potential of terrestrial gravity and a reflecting mirror. The wave function of the bound state has characteristic modulations. We carried out an experiment to observe the vertical distribution of the UCNs above such a mirror at the Institut Laue-Langevin in 2011. The observed modulation is in good agreement with that prediction by quantum mechanics using the Wigner function. The spatial resolution of the detector system is estimated to be 0.7 μm. This is the first observation of gravitationally bound states of UCNs with submicron spatial resolution.

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Observation of the spatial distribution of gravitationally bound quantum states of ultracold neutrons and its derivation using the Wigner function

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