This article is cited in 14 papers

METHODOLOGICAL NOTES

Zero point energy and zero point oscillations: how they are detected experimentally

Yu. M. Tsipenyuk<sup>ab

a</sup> Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences
^b Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University)

Abstract: The zero point energy of a system in a potential well is reviewed as a concept, with some history of the development behind it, and a discussion is given of how it can be detected experimentally from the electronic-vibrational spectrum of molecules with different isotopes (isotope effect). Also discussed is how the zero point oscillations of crystal lattice atoms show up in the diffraction of X-rays and neutrons from crystals and in the temperature dependence of the M$\ddot {o}$ssbauer effect probability. Other topics include measuring zero point oscillations of water molecules in a nanotube to determine the form of the potential energy of the system; the role of zero point oscillations in the dynamics of electrons in semiconductors, and experiments on the optical cooling and quantum behavior of mechanical oscillators.

PACS: 03.65.-w, 03.65.Ge, 61.05.cp, 61.05.Qr

Received: February 4, 2011
Revised: December 27, 2011
Accepted: February 14, 2012

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0182.201208e.0855

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 2012, 55:8, 796–807

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