Diffraction in time of particles released from spherical traps

Abstract

We extend the theory of diffraction in time to particles with angular momentum. We consider the problem of the sudden release of a particle which initially was inside a spherical trap. The particle's free time evolution is described by spherical waves, which have amplitudes diffracted in time. The time-dependent density pattern is, for high or low energies, one of Fresnel or Fraunhofer diffraction by a single slit respectively.