PHYSICAL REVIEW A 81, 063640 (2010)

Cloaking spin- 12 matter waves

De-Hone Lin*
Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
(Received 28 September 2009; published 28 June 2010)
A physical construct for the cloaking of relativistic spin- 12 matter waves is proposed. It is shown that when the
effective energy and mass of relativistic spin- 21 particles moving in an effective vector field in a spherical shell
are controlled, their matter waves can be perfectly guided through the shell without any distortion or loss; that
is, the construct provides a three-dimensional cloaking shell for relativistic spin- 21 matter waves. The proposal
serves as the basis for some interesting applications such as providing a method to guide the matter waves of spin
particles and an ideal setup to exhibit spin-spin interactions as well as perfect quantum interferences of some
global effects in spin- 12 matter waves.

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.063640 PACS number(s): 03.75.−b, 03.65.Pm, 11.80.Et, 61.05.fd

I. INTRODUCTION II. CLOAKING SPIN- 21 MATTER WAVES

An invisibility cloak for electromagnetic waves that can The Dirac equation for an RSP with energy E and mass
hide an object from the detection of probe waves and is M0 in an arbitrary curvilinear coordinate system, described
externally invisible has long caught humans’ imagination. by the metric tensor (guv ) = diag(f12 (g), f22 (g), f32 (g)), with
Pendry et al. [1,2] pointed out that, by using transformed g = g(r) being the radial scaling function, is given by [22]
values for the original coordinates, it is possible to interpret
   
1 1 ∂1 f12 1 2 ∂2 f22
arbitrary coordinate transformations of Maxwell’s equations γ ∂1 − + γ ∂2 −
with regard to the material properties of media. It is then f1 4f12 f2 4f22
possible to bend the electromagnetic fields specified by the   
1 ∂3 f32 1
coordinate transformations, resulting in successful invisibility + γ 3 ∂3 − 2
− γ 4
E + M 0 √  = 0,
f3 4f3 f1 f2 f3
cloaking of the fields. Over the past few years, Pendry’s
proposal has attracted much interest and has been applied (1)
to the cloaking of some kinds of classical waves [3–18] where  is the wave function that we want to know, γ µ ,
and further generalized by Zhang et al. to the Schrödinger µ = 1,2,3,4, are the Dirac matrices of special relativity as
equation, which enables the cloaking of matter waves [19–21]. usual, and ∂u = ∂/∂x u , u = 1,2,3. There is no summation
Nevertheless, so far, all considerations of the cloaking of over repeated indices and we take Planck’s constant and light
matter waves have been restricted to quantum particles without speed as h̄ = 1,c = 1. To endow the coordinate transformation
any internal degree of freedom. Any discussion of the most of the Dirac equation with the material interpretation [1],
common spin- 12 matter waves (SMWs) is still lacking, and we note that the Dirac equation of arbitrary curvilinear
a cloaking theory for SMWs remains elusive. In this paper coordinates has, by explicit calculation, the mathematical
we report a cloaking theory for SMWs. It is shown that, equivalent representation
through control of the effective energy and mass of relativistic  3
spin- 21 particles (RSPs) moving in an effective vector field,   
u 1 M0
the matter waves of spin particles can indeed be perfectly γ ∂u − Au − γ +
eff 4
 = 0, (2)
u=1
Euu E
guided through a spherical shell. An object in the interior
of the shell is thus hidden from the detection of the SMW. where Euu is the diagonal elements of energy tensor (Euv ) =
Thus the spherical shell serves as a quantum invisibility cloak diag(Ef1 ,Ef2 ,Ef3 ), Aeff
u is the u component of the effective
for the probe SMW. The present result points to some novel vector field Aeff , compared with the canonical momentum
applications, several of which are discussed at the end of the operator (p̂ + iA), which has the expression
article.
The paper is organized as follows: in Sec. II, we construct xg  (r) d
Aeff = (ln f1 f2 f3 + ln f1 ) ê1
the cloaking theory for SMWs. The cloaking transformation 2r dg
for a perfect spherical cloaking shell is given, and cloaking yg  (r) d
solutions for matter waves of spin- 12 particles and antipar- + (ln f1 f2 f3 + ln f2 ) ê2
2r dg
ticles are found. A possible experiment is suggested. Our
zg  (r) d
conclusions and some potential applications are summarized + (ln f1 f2 f3 + ln f3 ) ê3 , (3)
in Sec. III. 2r dg
where g  (r) = dg/dr, êu is the unit vector in the u direction,
and the ratio M0 /E = [det(Muv )/ det(Euv )]1/3 is an invariant
quantity of arbitrary transformations with the mass tensor
(Muv ) = diag(M0 f1 ,M0 f2 ,M0 f3 ). The expression of the mass
*
dhlin@mail.nsysu.edu.tw tensor also guarantees that Einstein’s energy-momentum

1050-2947/2010/81(6)/063640(7) 063640-1 ©2010 The American Physical Society

DE-HONE LIN PHYSICAL REVIEW A 81, 063640 (2010)

relation tr(Euv )2 = tr(kuv )2 + tr(Muv )2 is always true as long and j = l − 12 , l = 1,2, . . . ,

as the momentum tensor has the same modulations by fu , ⎧ 
that is, (kuv ) = diag(k0 f1 ,k0 f2 ,k0 f3 ). Equation (2) shows that ⎪
⎪  = l−m+1/2
f (g(r))Yl,m−1/2
⎪
⎪
1 2l+1
arbitrary coordinate transformations of the Dirac equation can ⎪
⎪ 
⎪
1 ⎨ 2 =
be interpreted in terms of the modulations of the effective l+m+1/2
2l+1
f (g(r))Yl,m+1/2
energy and mass, as well as an additional vector field at the j =l− :  , (9)
2 ⎪ ⎪3 = −i l+m−1/2 f˜(g(r))Yl−1,m−1/2
original coordinates. Consequently, according to the material ⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪ 
2l−1
interpretation, the cloaking of the SMW can be implemented ⎪
⎩ = i l−m−1/2 f˜(g(r))Y
by the suitable physical systems and by application of a 4 2l−1 l−1,m+1/2
vector field. From now on, we suppose that f1 (g) = f2 (g),
which makes the theoretical analysis and the realization of where m = ml + 12 with −l
ml
l [23]. With the help
the experiment easier. The Dirac spinor  can be taken as of the recurrence formulas of spherical harmonics and the
 = (1 ,2 ,3 ,4 ) . Accordingly, the Dirac equation has derivative relations between Cartesian and spherical coordi-
the explicit coupling expression nates [23,24], the radial functions f and f˜ in (4) and (5) for
j = l + 12 are found to satisfy
  
1 g (r)    
− i (∂x − i∂y )4 + i(x − iy) l + m + 3/2 1 d f˜ l + 2 ˜
f1 2rf1 − + f
  2l + 3 f1 dr r
d 1 zg  (r)  
× (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) 4 − i ∂z 3 + i g ˜ d
l + m + 3/2
dg f3 2rf3 − f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 )
2l + 32f1 dg
d    
× (2 ln f1 + 2 ln f3 ) 3 − (E − M0 )1 = 0, (4) l − m + 3/2 1 d f˜ l + 2 ˜
dg − + f
   2l + 3 f3 dr r
1 g (r)  
− i (∂x + i∂y )3 + i(x + iy) l − m + 3/2 g  ˜ d
f1 2rf1 + f (ln f1 + ln f3 )
   2l + 3 f3 dg
d 1 zg (r) − (E − M0 ) f = 0, (10)
× (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) 3 + i ∂z 4 − i
dg f3 2rf3
and
d
× (2 ln f1 + 2 ln f3 ) 4 − (E − M0 )2 = 0, (5)    
dg l − m + 3/2 1 d f˜ l + 2 ˜
+ f
   2l + 3 f1 dr r
1 g (r) d  
i (∂x − i∂y )2 − i(x − iy) (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) 2 l − m + 3/2 g  ˜ d
f1 2rf1 dg + f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 )
   2l + 3 2f1 dg
1 zg (r) d    
+ i ∂z  1 − i (2 ln f1 + 2 ln f3 ) 1 l + m + 3/2 1 d f˜ l + 2 ˜
f3 2rf3 dg + + f
+ (E + M0 )3 = 0, (6) 2l + 3 f3 dr r
  
  l + m + 3/2 g ˜ d
1 g  (r) d − f (ln f1 + ln f3 )
i (∂x + i∂y )1 − i(x + iy) (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) 1 2l + 3 f3 dg
f1 2rf1 dg
   + (E − M0 )f = 0, (11)
1 zg (r) d
− i ∂z  2 + i (2 ln f1 + 2 ln f3 ) 2 in which d (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) /dg is related to
f3 2rf3 dg
d (ln f1 + ln f3 ) /dg by the constraint condition
+ (E + M0 )4 = 0. (7)
g ˜ d g d
f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f˜ (ln f1 + ln f3 )
Here we have put ∂1 = ∂x , ∂2 = ∂y and ∂3 = ∂z . Since the 2f1 dg f3 dg
components of the metric tensor (guv ) possess spherical   ˜ 
1 1 df l+1 ˜
symmetry, the angular part of the relativistic wave function = − − f . (12)
f3 f1 dr r
 can be separated by the spin spherical harmonics, classified
by the total angular momentum j = l + 12 , l = 0,1, . . . , It can be used to simplify two coupling equations that yield
 
⎧  d f˜ g d g 1 ˜
⎪
⎪  = l+m+1/2
f (g(r))Yl,m−1/2 + (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f
⎪
⎪
1 2l+1 dg 2 dg 
2rg g
⎪
⎪     
⎪ f1 g l + 3/2 ˜
1 ⎨ 2 = −
l−m+1/2 f1
2l+1
f (g(r))Yl,m+1/2 + f + (E − M0 ) f = 0, (13)
j =l+ :  , (8) f3 rg  g g
2 ⎪⎪ = −i l−m+3/2 ˜
⎪
⎪  3 f (g(r))Y l+1,m−1/2
⎪
⎪ 
2l+3
where df/dr = g  (r) df/dg was used. We need another
⎪
⎩ = −i l+m+3/2 f˜(g(r))Y
4 2l+3 l+1,m+1/2 equation to simultaneously solve f˜ and f . Substituting (8)

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for (6) and (7), we get and

    df l
l − m + 1/2 1 df l − f − (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0. (21)
i − f dg g
2l + 1 f1 dr r
  
l − m + 1/2 g d We shall give the cloaking solution of the system for Dirac
+i f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) particles after we consider the other set of differential
2l + 1 2f1 dg
    equations corresponding to the angular momentum j = l − 12 .
l + m + 1/2 1 df l Analogous to the preceding procedure, substituting (9) for (4)
+i − f
2l + 1 f3 dr r and (5), we get
     
l + m + 1/2 g  d l − m − 1/2 1 d f˜ l − 1 ˜
−i f (ln f1 + ln f3 ) − − f
2l + 1 f3 dg 2l − 1 f1 dr r
− i (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0, (14)   
l − m − 1/2 g ˜ d
− f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 )
and 2l − 1 2f1 dg
       
l + m + 1/2 1 df l l + m − 1/2 1 d f˜ l − 1 ˜
i − f − − f
2l + 1 f1 dr r 2l − 1 f3 dr r
     
l + m + 1/2 g d l + m − 1/2 g ˜ d
+i f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f (ln f1 + ln f3 )
2l + 1 2f1 dg 2l − 1 f3 dg
   
l − m + 1/2 1 df l − (E − M0 ) f = 0 (22)
+i − f
2l + 1 f3 dr r and
      
l − m + 1/2 g d l + m − 1/2 1 d f˜ l − 1 ˜
−i f (ln f1 + ln f3 ) − − f
2l + 1 f3 dg 2l − 1 f1 dr r
− i (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0, (15)   
l + m − 1/2 g ˜ d
− f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 )
with the constraint condition 2l − 1 2f1 dg
   
g d g d l − m − 1/2 1 d f˜ l − 1 ˜
f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f (ln f1 + ln f3 ) − − f
2f1 dg f3 dg 2l − 1 f3 dr r
     
1 1 df l+1 l − m − 1/2 g ˜ d
= − + f . (16) + f (ln f1 + ln f3 )
f3 f1 dr r 2l − 1 f3 dg
Equations (14), (15), and (16) together show that − (E − M0 ) f = 0, (23)
  with the constraint condition
df g d g 1
+ (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f
dg 2 dg 
2rg g g ˜ d g d
    f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f˜ (ln f1 + ln f3 )
f1 g l + 1/2 f1 2f1 dg f3 dg
− f − (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0. (17)   ˜ 
f3 rg  g g 1 1 df l
= − + f˜ . (24)
Looking carefully into (13) and (17), the cloaking transforma- f3 f1 dr r
tion of coordinates for Dirac particles is given by requiring the The condition establishes the connection between Eqs. (22)
components of metric tensor f1 , f2 , and the radial function and (23), which yields
g(r) to satisfy the conditions  
  d f˜ g d g 1 ˜
d g f1 g f1 + (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + 
f
g (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) +  = 1, = 1, = 1. dg 2 dg 2rg g
dg rg f3 rg  g    
f1 g l − 1/2 ˜ f1
(18) − f + (E − M0 ) f = 0. (25)
f3 rg  g g
They are solved exactly by Inserting Eq. (9) into Eqs. (6) and (7), we find
     
f1 (g(r)) = g (r), f3 (g(r)) = g(r)/r, g (r) = 0. (19) l + m + 1/2 1 df l+1
i + f
These transformation functions produce the cloaking solutions 2l + 1 f1 dr r
  
of Dirac particles, as we shall see. For a spherical invisibility l + m + 1/2 g d
+i f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 )
cloaking shell, say a
r
b, that can conceal an object inside 2l + 1 2f1 dg
a sphere of radius a, we just need to require the boundary    
l − m + 1/2 1 df l+1
conditions of the scaling function to satisfy g(a) = 0 and +i + f
g(b) = b. Now, with the aid of (18), Eqs. (13) and (17) turn 2l + 1 f3 dr r
 
into l − m + 1/2 g  d
−i f (ln f1 + ln f3 )
d f˜ l + 2 ˜ 2l + 1 f3 dg
+ f + (E − M0 ) f = 0 (20)
dg g − i (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0 (26)

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DE-HONE LIN PHYSICAL REVIEW A 81, 063640 (2010)

and where k02 = (E 2 − M02 )  0. They can be solved by the

    spherical Bessel functions. The radial wave functions of the
l − m + 1/2 1 df l+1
−i + f RSP in the cloaking shell a
r
b are thus found to be
2l + 1 f1 dr r
 
l − m + 1/2 g  d f (g) = aκ jκ (k0 g), (37)
− i f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 )
2l + 1 2f1 dg
    f (g) = ãκ−1 jκ−1 (k0 g),
˜ (38)
l + m + 1/2 1 df l+1
− i + f
2l + 1 f3 dr r for E  M0 and κ > 0, and
  
l + m + 1/2 g d
+ i f (ln f1 + ln f3 ) f (g) = a|κ|−1 j|κ|−1 (k0 g), (39)
2l + 1 f3 dg
+ i (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0, (27) f˜(g) = ã|κ| j|κ| (k0 g), (40)

as well as the constraint condition for E  M0 and κ < 0. The radial wave functions for the
RSAP are
g d g d
f (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + f (ln f1 + ln f3 )
2f1 dg
 
f3 dg
 f (g) = aκa jκ (k0 g), (41)
1 1 df l
= − − f . (28) f˜(g) = ãκ−1
a
jκ−1 (k0 g), (42)
f3 f1 dr r
Equations (26) and (27) together with Eq. (28) lead to the for E
−M0 and κ > 0, and
radial equation
  f (g) = a|κ|−1
a
j|κ|−1 (k0 g), (43)
df g d g 1
+ (3 ln f1 + ln f3 ) + 
f f˜(g) = ã|κ|
a
j|κ| (k0 g), (44)
dg 2 dg 2rg g
   
f1 g l + 1/2 f1 for E
−M0 and κ < 0, where jκ is the spherical Bessel
+ f − (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0. (29)
f3 rg  g g function of the first kind, and we indicate the solutions of
antiparticles with the superscript a in the constant coefficients
With the aid of the cloaking transformation (19), the radial in front of the Bessel functions. Outside the cloaking transfor-
wave functions of spinor  corresponding to j = l − 12 are mation region, the radial wave functions of the RSP are given
found to satisfy the equations by
d f˜ l − 1 ˜
− f + (E − M0 ) f = 0 (30) f (r) = bκ jκ (k0 r) + cκ nκ (k0 r), (45)
dg g
and f˜(r) = b̃κ−1 jκ−1 (k0 r) + c̃κ−1 nκ−1 (k0 r), (46)
df l+1 for E  M0 and κ > 0, and
+ f − (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0. (31)
dg g
Define f (r) = b|κ|−1 j|κ|−1 (k0 r) + c|κ|−1 n|κ|−1 (k0 r), (47)
   f˜(r) = b̃|κ| j|κ| (k0 r) + c̃|κ| n|κ| (k0 r), (48)
l+ 1
: κ = − j + 12 = −(l + 1)
j= 2
  . (32)
l− 1
2
: κ = + j + 12 = +l for E  M0 and κ < 0, where nκ is the spherical Bessel
function of the second kind. The radial wave functions of
Then two differential systems, (20), (21) and (30), (31), can the RSAP outside the cloaking region are given by
be considered together and expressed in terms of
df 1+κ f (r) = bκa jκ (k0 r) + cκa nκ (k0 r), (49)
+ f − (E + M0 ) f˜ = 0 (33)
dg g f˜(r) = b̃κ−1
a
jκ−1 (k0 r) + c̃κ−1
a
nκ−1 (k0 r), (50)
and
for E
−M0 and κ > 0, and
d f˜ 1 − κ ˜
+ f + (E − M0 ) f = 0, (34)
dg g f (r) = b|κ|−1
a
j|κ|−1 (k0 r) + c|κ|−1
a
n|κ|−1 (k0 r), (51)
with κ = ±(j + = ±1, ± 2, . . .. We thus find that the
1
2
) f˜(r) = a
b̃|κ| j|κ| (k0 r) + a
c̃|κ| n|κ| (k0 r), (52)
radial functions f (g(r)) and f˜(g(r)) satisfy the equations
  for E
−M0 and κ < 0. The constant coefficients in front
d 2f 2 df κ(κ + 1) of jκ and nκ can be determined by the boundary condition at
+ + k0 −2
f =0 (35)
dg 2 g dg g2 r = b. Since the wave functions are continuous at the boundary
r = b, and the argument of radial wave functions inside the
and
  cloaking shell satisfies g(b) = b, we see all of cκ , c̃|κ| , cκa , and
d 2 f˜ 2 d f˜ κ(κ − 1) ˜ a
c̃|κ| vanish. The other constant coefficients in front of (45)–(52)
+ + k 2
0 − f = 0, (36)
dg 2 g dg g2 must match those of (37)–(44). Thus, the whole SMW of the

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RSP inside the cloaking shell is found to be

⎛ ⎞
  j k0 (E+M0 )
jκ (k0 g)φjAm (θ,ϕ)
= ⎝  π
⎠
j =1/2 m=−j −i k0 (E−M0 )
π
B
jκ−1 (k0 g)φj m (θ,ϕ)
⎛  ⎞
  j − k0 (E+M 0)
j|κ|−1 (k0 g)φjBm (θ,ϕ)
+ ⎝  π
⎠,
j =1/2 m=−j −i k0 (E−M0 )
π
A
j|κ| (k0 g)φj m (θ,ϕ)
(53)
where
⎛ ⎞
j −m+1
2j +2
Yj +1/2,m−1/2
φjAm (θ,ϕ) = ⎝  ⎠ (54)
j +m+1
2j +2
Yj +1/2,m+1/2

and
⎛ ⎞
j +m FIG. 1. (Color online) Quantum cloaking of the large component
Yj −1/2,m−1/2
φjBm (θ,ϕ) = ⎝  ⎠
2j
(55) of relativistic spin- 21 particles. The particles are incident along the z
j −m axis and the figure is plotted at the plane of the equator, i.e., θ = π/2.
− 2j Yj −1/2,m+1/2
The figure exhibits the large component as perfectly cloaked and
are the simultaneous eigenstates of total angular momentum guided by the quantum cloak. Outside the cloaking shell, the outgoing
operators jˆ2 and jˆz . The corresponding eigenvalues are spherical waves completely coincide with the pattern of the free
j (j + 1) and m = ml + 12 , respectively. Outside the cloaking space.
region, the wave functions are simply given by replacing g(r)
with r for an invisibility cloaking shell. The SMW of the RSAP
in the cloaking shell is given by shell. An object hidden in the cloaked region is thus concealed
⎛ ⎞ from the probe of its SMW. To manifest perfect cloaking of the
  j k0 (|E|−M0 )
jκ (k0 g)φjAm (θ,ϕ) SMW by the cloaking shell, the incident direction of the RSP
= ⎝  π ⎠
k0 (|E|+M0 ) B is chosen along the z direction. Its SMW can be expressed in
j =1/2 m=−j i π
jκ−1 (k0 g)φj m (θ,ϕ) terms of the sum of the orbital momentum number l only. We
⎛ ⎞ then obtain, from (53), the SMW of the RSP in the cloaking
  j k0 (|E|−M0 )
j|κ|−1 (k0 g)φjBm (θ,ϕ)
+ ⎝  π ⎠, shell,
j =1/2 m=−j −i k0 (|E|+M0 )
π
j (k
|κ| 0 g)φ A
jm (θ,ϕ) ∞
 
(56) = C̃Jl+1/2 (k0 g)/ k0 g(1,0, ± k0 /(E + M0 ),0)T
l=0
where the normalization
 3 † constants are chosen to satisfy × i l (2l + 1)Pl (cos θ ), (59)
the conditions d x  = δ(E ± E ) [25]. Obviously,
Eqs. (53) and (56) are the demanded cloaking solutions of where C̃ is a constant. It is well known that the first two
Dirac particles and antiparticles. As a specific explanation, components constitute the large component of the Dirac
we take the scaling function g(r) = (r − a)/λ with spinor. The rest belong to the small component. The signs
λ = (b − a)/b and choose g11 = gθθ = f12 , g22 = gϕϕ = f12 , ±1 in the third component represent the different helicities
and g33 = grr = f32 since the cloaking region is highly of the RSP. Under the low-energy limit, that is, k0 → 0, the
symmetrical. The energy and mass tensors become third component vanishes and the Dirac spinor reduces to
(Euv ) = diag(Eθθ ,Eϕϕ ,Err ) = diag(E/λ,E/λ,E(r − a)/λr) the nonrelativistic wave function. Figure 1 shows the perfect
and (Muv ) = diag(M0 /λ,M0 /λ,M0 (r − a)/λr). Substitution cloaking of the first component. The numerical calculation is
of transformation functions (19) into (3) shows that the taken at the plane of the equator, that is, θ = π/2. We see
effective vector potential that the cloaking shell perfectly guides the spherical waves
  through the region a
r
b and the outgoing waves do
1 g 1
A =
eff
− (êr + cos θ êz ). (57) not suffer any scattering or distortion. To perfectly cloak the
2 g r
SMW of the RSAP, we just need to alter the effective vector
Now for g(r) = (r − a)/λ, the corresponding effective mag- field from Aeff to −Aeff , since physically we can interpret
netic field Beff = ∇ × Aeff is given by the changing sign of energy as the parity transformation of
a sin 2θ the gradient operator and vector field Aeff . The alternation
Beff = (3r − 2a) êϕ . (58) of parity means that the motion of the RSAP is opposite to
4r 2 (r − a)2 that of the RSP, just like the motion of an electron-positron
When the RSP moves in the effective magnetic field and its pair shown in any high-energy laboratory. To confirm the
energy and mass are altered according to the preceding tensors anticipation of the quantum cloaking in the experiment, we
(Euv ) and (Muv ), it is perfectly guided through the cloaking note that if the effective width of the SMW of the RSP

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√
1 perpendicular magnetic field, that is, E = α B, with α being
a constant. Therefore, modulation of the radial component Err
0.8 can be achieved by an aggregation of cylindrical ring-shaped
magnets, set under the cloaking region of the graphene, which
0.6 provides a gradually alterable perpendicular magnetic field to
modulate the component Err . The numerical result is shown
0.4 in Fig. 2, where we use 20 sets of ring-shaped magnets √ to
fit the energy curve of Err . We list 10 values of α B(r)
E /E=(r−a)/(rλ) produced by the magnets in Table I. The fitting of the data
0.2 rr
could be nearly perfect as long as we increase the sets of
E(r)/E
magnets. The modulation of Eϕϕ is a constant. It can be
0
1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 modulated by a pair of electromagnets. The N pole is set
r/a in the center of the cloaked region and the S pole is set
outside the system. The electromagnets can be controlled by a
FIG. 2. (Color online) Modulation of the radial energy of rel- current that supplies a constant radial magnetic field perpen-
ativistic spin- 21 particles in the cloaking shell. The solid curve dicular to êϕ to modulate Eϕϕ while the particles are moving in
corresponds to the modulated radial energy Err = E(r − a)/λr, with the region of the cloaking shell. To confirm the cloaking of the
λ = (b − a)/b, where E is the incident energy of spin particles and we matter waves of the RSAP, we just need to reverse the direction
have taken a = 1 and b = 2. When the spin- 12 particles are controlled of the magnetic fields. An experiment that includes the total
moving on a two-dimensional plane, such as fermions on graphene, angle needs to create an effective vector field of (58) that may
modulation can be achieved by an aggregation of ring-shaped magnets be feasible through a more complex design of the magnetic
that produces a gradually alterable magnetic field√to change the radial fields.
energy of spin particlesaccording to E(r) = α B(r), as shown by
the circles, where α = 2eh̄νF2 |n| is a constant, with νF the Fermi
velocity and |n| the Landau levels index. The fittings of the data are III. CONCLUSIONS
listed in Table I. We have proposed a cloaking theory for the matter waves
of RSPs. The coordinate transformation of cloaking the spin- 21
matter waves is given and the cloaking solutions for the matter
is restricted in a two-dimensional plane, say θ = π/2, the waves of particles and antiparticles are found. The proposal
influence of the effective magnetic field can be ignored and could serve as the basis for some interesting applications.
we just need to consider the energy and mass modulations. (1) It provides a novel method to guide the SMWs. As shown in
Experimentally, graphene systems can be used to confirm the preceding section, the quantum cloak can perfectly guide
the anticipation of the quantum cloaking. It was pointed the SMWs by controlling their energy and mass moving in
out in [26] and [27] that particles moving on graphene are an effective vector field. One of the benefits of the method
effectively massless Dirac fermions. Moreover, the energy is that there is no leakage of the guided spin waves in the
of each particle is proportional to the square root of a specific cloaked region. Thus, the quantum cloak actually
guarantees the decoupling of the spin waves within the cloaked
region. This perfect property may be very useful for accurately
TABLE I. Variation of the radial energy Err of a relativistic spin- 21
particle in the spherical shell of the quantum invisibility cloak can be
revealing and measuring some spin-spin interactions by
achieved by an aggregation of cylindrical ring-shaped magnets, set turning the cloak on and off as in the interaction between
under the spherical shell region, which provides a gradually alterable an electron and a spin impurity or even among an electron and
magnetic field to change the radial energy of spin particles moving some spin impurities concealed in the cloaked region. (2) The
on graphene. The modulation can be as good as what we want (see quantum cloak of spin waves provides an ideal apparatus for
Fig. 2), as long as the given magnetic fields of the√corresponding testing the nonlocal interferences of matter waves from the
ring-shaped magnets match the values of E(r) = α B(r) listed in global effects of gauge fields. Nonlocal physical phenomena
the table. such as from the Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect, hybrid AB and
Einstein-Podolsdy-Rosen (AB-EPR) experiments [28], and so
r/a E(r)/E forth all exhibit nonlocal interferences of matter waves from
a remote magnetic field. In those experiments, the allowed
1.0 0 propagating paths of the matter waves must circumscribe a
1.1 0.1818
region of space within which the magnetic field is confined and
1.2 0.3333
from which the matter waves are excluded. Since the quantum
1.3 0.4615
cloak is able to perfectly guide the matter waves through
1.4 0.5714
1.5 0.6667
the cloaking shell without any leakage, a quantum cloak that
1.6 0.7500
conceals a magnetic flux inside the cloaked region provides an
1.7 0.8235 ideal setup for testing these nonlocal physical phenomena.
1.8 0.8889 (3) The present cloaking construct provide a prototype to
1.9 0.9474 controlling a spin- 12 matter wave at will. Since there is no
2.0 1.0000 restriction on the coordinate transformation of Dirac equation
in Eq. (1), it is then possible, through the desired coordinate

063640-6
CLOAKING SPIN- 12 MATTER WAVES
transformation, to control the spin wave propagating along the
specified paths. For example, a transformation that results in
two separated cloaked region, or a transformation that lead
to two propagating channels of a spin wave with different
lengths would be an ideal setup to exhibit the interesting
self-interference phenomenon of the spin wave.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank P. G. Luan, Q. Chan, Y. H. Ho, and,
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Science Council of Taiwan.
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