Spectroscopic signatures of quantum friction

Juliane Klatt, Robert Bennett, and Stefan Yoshi Buhmann
Phys. Rev. A 94, 063803 – Published 1 December 2016

Abstract

We present a formula for the spectroscopically accessible level shifts and decay rates of an atom moving at an arbitrary angle relative to a surface. Our Markov formulation leads to an intuitive analytic description whereby the shifts and rates are obtained from the coefficients of the Heisenberg equation of motion for the atomic flip operators but with complex Doppler-shifted (velocity-dependent) transition frequencies. Our results conclusively demonstrate that for the limiting case of parallel motion the shifts and rates are quadratic or higher in the atomic velocity. We show that a stronger, linear velocity dependence is exhibited by the rates and shifts for perpendicular motion, thus opening the prospect of experimentally probing the Markovian approach to the phenomenon of quantum friction.

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  • Received 11 January 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.94.063803

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & Optical

Authors & Affiliations

Juliane Klatt1, Robert Bennett1, and Stefan Yoshi Buhmann1,2

  • 1Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 4, D-79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
  • 2Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstrasse 19, D-79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 6 — December 2016

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