Semiclassical description of Stern-Gerlach experiments

S. Cruz-Barrios and J. Gómez-Camacho
Phys. Rev. A 63, 012101 – Published 30 November 2000
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Abstract

The motion of neutral particles with magnetic moments in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is described in a semiclassical framework. The concept of coherent internal states is used in the formulation of the semiclassical approximation from the full quantum-mechanical expression. The classical trajectories are defined only for certain spin states, that satisfy the conditions for being coherent internal states. The reliability of Stern-Gerlach experiments to measure spin projections is assessed in this framework.

  • Received 18 May 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.63.012101

©2000 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

S. Cruz-Barrios1,2 and J. Gómez-Camacho1

  • 1Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Apartado 1065, 41080 Sevilla, Spain
  • 2Departamento de Física Aplicada 1, EUITA, Carretera de Utrera, Km. 1, Sevilla, Spain

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Vol. 63, Iss. 1 — January 2001

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