Stern-Gerlach Effect for Electron Beams

Authors

Herman Batelaan, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Timothy J. Gay, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
J. J. Schwendiman, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Date of this Version

December 1997

Comments

Published in Physical Review Letters, VOLUME 79, NUMBER 23, December 1997. Copyright © 1997 The American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

The conflict between Bohr’s assertion that the magnetic moment of the electron cannot be measured with experiments based on the concept of classical trajectories, and the measurement of the magnetic moment of electrons in a modified Penning trap by Dehmelt et al. has led us to reevaluate other implications of Bohr’s assertion. We show that, contrary to the analysis of Bohr and Pauli, the assumption of classical trajectories in a Stern-Gerlach–like device can result in a high degree of spin separation for an electron beam. This effect may persist within a fully quantum-mechanical analysis. The magnetic fields considered are such that a tabletop Stern-Gerlach electron spin filter is feasible.