Kapitza-Dirac effect in the relativistic regime

Sven Ahrens, Heiko Bauke, Christoph H. Keitel, and Carsten Müller
Phys. Rev. A 88, 012115 – Published 15 July 2013

Abstract

A relativistic description of the Kapitza-Dirac effect in the so-called Bragg regime with two and three interacting photons is presented by investigating both numerical and perturbative solutions of the Dirac equation in momentum space. We demonstrate that spin flips can be observed in the two-photon and the three-photon Kapitza-Dirac effects for certain parameters. During the interaction with the laser field the electron's spin is rotated, and we give explicit expressions for the rotation axis and the rotation angle. The off-resonant Kapitza-Dirac effect, that is, when the Bragg condition is not exactly fulfilled, is described by a generalized Rabi theory. We also analyze the in-field quantum dynamics as obtained from the numerical solution of the Dirac equation.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
5 More
  • Received 24 May 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.88.012115

©2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Sven Ahrens1, Heiko Bauke1,*, Christoph H. Keitel1, and Carsten Müller1,2,†

  • 1Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
  • 2Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany

  • *heiko.bauke@mpi-hd.mpg.de
  • mueller@tp1.uni-duesseldorf.de

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 88, Iss. 1 — July 2013

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review A

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×