976 research outputs found
Non-classical paths in interference experiments
In a double slit interference experiment, the wave function at the screen
with both slits open is not exactly equal to the sum of the wave functions with
the slits individually open one at a time. The three scenarios represent three
different boundary conditions and as such, the superposition principle should
not be applicable. However, most well known text books in quantum mechanics
implicitly and/or explicitly use this assumption which is only approximately
true. In our present study, we have used the Feynman path integral formalism to
quantify contributions from non-classical paths in quantum interference
experiments which provide a measurable deviation from a naive application of
the superposition principle. A direct experimental demonstration for the
existence of these non-classical paths is hard. We find that contributions from
such paths can be significant and we propose simple three-slit interference
experiments to directly confirm their existence.Comment: v2: 5 pages + 3 pages supplementary, title changed, version to appear
in Physical Review Letter
Testing vertex in radiative muon decay
Large numbers of muons will be produced at facilities developed to probe
lepton flavor violating process . We show that by constructing
a suitable asymmetry, radiative muon decay
can also be used to test the vertex at such facilities. The process
has two missing neutrinos in the final state and on integrating their momenta,
the partial differential decay rate shows no radiation-amplitude-zero. We
establish, however, that an easily separable part of the normalized
differential decay rate, odd under the exchange of photon and electron
energies, does have a zero in the case of standard model (SM). This "new type
of zero" has hitherto not been studied in literature. A suitably constructed
asymmetry using this fact, enables a sensitive probe for the vertex
beyond the SM. With a simplistic analysis, we find that the and
conserving dimension four vertex can be probed at with satisfactory significance level.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure
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