Explanation and observability of diffraction in time

TL;DR

This paper investigates diffraction in time (DIT), a quantum phenomenon analogous to light diffraction, demonstrating its robustness in quantum waves from decaying sources and explaining it as interference of two velocities, enabling control and optimization.

Contribution

It provides a simple explanation of DIT as interference of two velocities and demonstrates its robustness in quantum waves emitted by decaying sources.

Findings

DIT emerges robustly in quantum waves from exponential sources

DIT can be explained as interference of two characteristic velocities

Controllability and optimization of DIT are achievable

Abstract

Diffraction in time (DIT) is a fundamental phenomenon in quantum dynamics due to time-dependent obstacles and slits. It is formally analogous to diffraction of light, and is expected to play an increasing role to design coherent matter wave sources, as in the atom laser, to analyze time-of-flight information and emission from ultrafast pulsed excitations, and in applications of coherent matter waves in integrated atom-optical circuits. We demonstrate that DIT emerges robustly in quantum waves emitted by an exponentially decaying source and provide a simple explanation of the phenomenon, as an interference of two characteristic velocities. This allows for its controllability and optimization.