This grant is to support studies of quantum systems that display regular and irregular classical trajectories with the aid of various semiclassical methods, some traditional and some very recently developed. In the first year, attention will be focused on highly excited atoms in strong external fields. At low energies and weak fields, these systems show quasiperiodic trajectories, and semiclassical energies and wavefunctions can be calculated by quantization of action variables. For high energies or strong fields, the trajectories are chaotic and familiar methods cannot be used. A theory is being developed that shows that orderly fluctuations in transition amplitudes are associated with closed orbits of such systems.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Physics (PHY)
Application #
8709910
Program Officer
Charles N. Brown
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1987-07-01
Budget End
1990-12-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
$107,300
Indirect Cost
Name
College of William and Mary
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Williamsburg
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
23187