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arXiv · 1012.4544

Refraction in spacetime

M. Jaaskelainen·M. Lombard·U. Zuelicke
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Abstract

Refraction, interference, and diffraction serve as distinguishing features for wave-like phenomena. While they are normally associated only with a purely spatial wave-propagation pattern, analogs to interference and diffraction involving the spatio-temporal dynamics of waves in one dimension (1D) have been pointed out. Here we complete the triplet of analogies by discussing how spatio-temporal analogs to refraction are exhibited by a quantum particle in 1D that is scattering off a step barrier. Similarly, birefringence in spacetime occurs for a spin-1/2 particle in a magnetic field. These examples serve to illustrate basics of quantum time evolution from a new perspective.

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M. Jaaskelainen, M. Lombard, U. Zuelicke. 2010-12-21. Refraction in spacetime. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.3553459

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