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arXiv · 1902.04012

Optical simulation of the free Dirac equation

Thais de Lima Silva·Emile R. F. Taillebois·Rafael. M. Gomes·Stephen P. Walborn·Ardiley T. Avelar
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Abstract

We present a classical optics simulation of the one-dimensional Dirac equation for a free particle. Positive and negative energy components are represented by orthogonal polarizations of a free propagating beam, while the spatial profile represents the spatial wave function of the particle. Using a completely tunable time parameter, we observed the oscillation of the average value of the Dirac position operator - known as zitterbewegung (ZB). We are also able to measure the so called mean-position operator which is a single-particle observable and presents no oscillations. Our work opens the way for optical simulation of interesting phenomenon of relativistic systems, as well as condensed-matter physics, without any requirement for specially engineered medium.

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Thais de Lima Silva, Emile R. F. Taillebois, Rafael. M. Gomes, Stephen P. Walborn, Ardiley T. Avelar. 2019-02-11. Optical simulation of the free Dirac equation. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.99.022332

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