Internal Wave Interferometry

Internal wave interferometry.

Internal waves are a ubiquitous and significant means of momentum and energy transport in the oceans, atmosphere, and astrophysical bodies. Here, we show that internal wave propagation in nonuniform density stratifications, which are prevalent throughout nature, has a direct mathematical analogy with the classical optical problem of a Fabry-Perot multiple-beam light interferometer. We rigorousl...

Diffusing-wave interferometry

In this note we describe a qualitatively different approach to measure the temporal correlation functions of multiply scattered light from fluctuating dense random media. Our approach combines diffusing-wave spectroscopy with Micbelson interferometry. Among other things, the new approach should enable experimenters to perform correlation measurements on very short time scales. The method is des...

Attosecond electron wave packet interferometry

Dephasing in matter-wave interferometry

We review different attempts to show the decoherence process in doubleslit-like experiments both for charged particles (electrons) and neutral particles with permanent dipole moments. Interference is studied when electrons or atomic systems are coupled to classical or quantum electromagnetic fields. The interaction between the particles and time-dependent fields induces a time-varying Aharonov ...

Ultimate decoherence border for matter-wave interferometry.

Stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves are intrinsic fluctuations of spacetime which lead to an unavoidable decoherence mechanism. This mechanism manifests itself as a degradation of the contrast of quantum interferences. It defines an ultimate decoherence border for matter-wave interferometry using larger and larger molecules. We give a quantitative characterization of this border in te...