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A quantum point contact for neutral atoms

J. H. Thywissen·R. M. Westervelt·M. Prentiss
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Abstract

We show that the conductance of neutral atoms through a tightly confining waveguide constriction is quantized in units of lambda_dB^2/pi, where lambda_dB is the de Broglie wavelength of the incident atoms. Such a constriction forms the atom analogue of an electron quantum point contact and is an example of quantum transport of neutral atoms in an aperiodic system. We present a practical constriction geometry that can be realized using a microfabricated magnetic waveguide, and discuss how a pair of such constrictions can be used to study the quantum statistics of weakly interacting gases in small traps.

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J. H. Thywissen, R. M. Westervelt, M. Prentiss. 1999-09-10. A quantum point contact for neutral atoms. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.83.3762

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