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Phys. Rev. A 67, 032503 (2003) [5 pages]

Rutherford atom in quantum theory

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Maciej Kalinski1,2,3,4, J. H. Eberly1,2, J. A. West2,5, and C. R. Stroud, Jr.2,5
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627
2Rochester Theory Center for Optical Science and Engineering University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627
3FOM–Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
4Department of Quantum Physics, University of Ulm, Ulm 89081, Germany
5The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

Received 7 August 2002; published 10 March 2003

We predict the existence of a self-sustained one-electron wave packet moving on a circular orbit in the helium atom. The wave packet is localized in space, but does not spread in time. This is a realization within quantum theory of a classical object that has been called a “Rutherford atom,” a localized planetary electron on an unquantized circular orbit under the influence of a massive charged core.


©2003 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.67.032503
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.67.032503
PACS: 31.10.+z, 32.80.Rm, 42.50.Hz, 95.10.Ce

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