Matter Wave Beam

Jerry W. Decker ( (no email) )
Tue, 05 Oct 1999 20:38:22 -0500

Hi Folks!

Scientists have now created a beam of matter waves, is this what the
Dendera tubes do?

http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/mpg-mle031699.html

In the Munich experiment, a dilute gas of rubidium atoms is captured in
a sophisticated low-power magnetic trap and cooled down to reach
Bose-Einstein condensation.

With the help of a radiofrequency field the scientists flip the atomic
spin so that atoms are allowed escape from the magnetic trap. In vacuum,
the atoms are accelerated by gravity and form a parallel beam of
coherent matter waves.

It the radiofrequency field is turned on before condensation sets in,
the atom laser can only reach threshold, if there is laser "gain".
Unlike a Bose-Einstein condensate, such a laser relies on matter wave
amplification by stimulated elastic scattering of rubidium atoms just as
an optical laser relies on light amplification by stimulated emission of
radiation.

--         Jerry Wayne Decker  /   jdecker@keelynet.com      http://keelynet.com   /  "From an Art to a Science"   Voice : (214) 324-8741   /   FAX :  (214) 324-3501KeelyNet - PO BOX 870716 - Mesquite - Republic of Texas - 75187

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