Quantum scattering of spinless particles in Riemannian manifolds

Quantum mechanics is sensitive to the geometry of the underlying space. Here we present a framework for quantum scattering of a nonrelativistic particle confined to a two-dimensional space. When the motion manifold hosts localized curvature modulations, scattering occurs from an emergent geometric potential and the metric tensor field. Analytical and full numerical simulations identify the geometric potential as the primary source for low-energy scattering, while the metric tensor field of the curved space governs high-energy diffraction. Compared to flat spaces, important differences in the validity range of perturbation approaches are found and demonstrated by full numerical simulations using combined finite element and boundary element methods. As an illustration, we consider a Gaussian-shaped dent leading to effects known as gravitational lensing. Experimentally, the considered setup is realizable based on geometrically engineered two-dimensional materials.

Automated summary

Quantum mechanics is sensitive to the geometry of the underlying space. A framework for quantum scattering of a nonrelativistic particle in a two-dimensional space is presented, where scattering occurs from an emergent geometric potential and the metric tensor field. Analytical and full numerical simulations show that the geometric potential is the primary source for low-energy scattering, while the metric tensor field governs high-energy diffraction.