Control of Arrival Time using Structured Wave Packets

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the shape of wave packets influences their scattering times and demonstrates that adjusting the phase of the momentum wave function can control arrival times independently of energy.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control wave packet arrival times by phase adjustments, highlighting differences between Gaussian and non-Gaussian packets.

Findings

Non-Gaussian wave packets show different arrival time delays.

Phase adjustments can control arrival times independently of energy.

Differences are due to non-linear phase terms in the wave packets.

Abstract

Scattering dynamics are examined for Gaussian and non-Gaussian wave packets with identical momentum densities. Average arrival time delays, dwell times, and phase time delays are calculated for wave packets scattering from a square barrier, and it is shown that the non-Gaussian wave packets exhibit different average arrival time delays than the Gaussian wave packets. These differences result from the non-linear terms in the momentum wave function phase of the non-Gaussian wave packets, which alters the self-interaction times of the wave packets. Control of the average arrival time delay can be achieved through adjustment of the momentum wave function phase, independent of wave packet energy and momentum density.