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Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs

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Self-organization into quantized eigenstates of a classical wave-driven particle.

Stéphane Perrard¹, Matthieu Labousse², Marc Miskin³

¹Matières et Systèmes Complexes, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS UMR 7057, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75205 Paris, France.

Nature Communications

|January 31, 2014

Summary

Macroscopic droplets guided by pilot waves exhibit dual characteristics in a harmonic potential. Stable orbits show quantized spatial extent and angular momentum, linked to self-organized wave modes.

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Area of Science:

Fluid dynamics
Wave-particle duality
Quantum mechanics

Background:

Coupling of particles/singularities with physical waves is common in dynamics.
Wave-particle duality is typically a quantum-scale phenomenon.
Macroscopic droplets guided by pilot waves show dual characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate droplet behavior in a 2D harmonic potential well.
Analyze the nature of stable orbits and associated quantized properties.
Explore the relationship between droplet trajectories and wave-field modes.

Main Methods:

Confining droplets in a two-dimensional harmonic potential.
Observing and analyzing droplet trajectories.
Characterizing orbit spatial extent and angular momentum.
Investigating the dynamical build-up of central wave-field modes.

Main Results:

Observed a discrete set of stable orbits (Cassinian-like curves).
Demonstrated double quantization of orbit spatial extent and angular momentum.
Showed trajectories are intertwined with central wave-field mode build-up.
Identified dual self-organized modes as a basis for complex motions.

Conclusions:

Macroscopic wave-particle duality is observable in confined droplet systems.
Quantized orbits and angular momentum arise from self-organized wave dynamics.
These systems offer a classical analogue for quantum phenomena.