Parameters Of Stern-Gerlach Magnet

This window opens if you press the Generate Amplitudes... button of the Node Prior-Info. window when its focus node is a valid Stern-Gerlach magnet. The window allows you to specify certain parameters that characterize a Stern-Gerlach Magnet.

We define type 1 and type 2 nodes as follows:

type 1 
A node that can assume two states named "0" and "1". Here 0 and 1 refer to the number of particles (spin 1/2 fermions) in the state.
type 2 
A node that can assume three states named "(0,0)", "(0,1)", and "(1,0)". The first component refers to the number of spin - particles in the state, and the second to the number of spin + particles in the state. For example, (1,0) represents a state with one spin - particle.

(Mnemonic: type 1 has 1 component, type 2 has 2 components).

Even if the focus node is a Stern-Gerlach Magnet, when you press the Generate Amplitudes... button, the computer will refuse to open the above window unless each parent node is of either type 1 or type 2.

Quantum Fog gives names of type 2 to the states of the Stern-Gerlach magnet.


Quantization Direction of Output

The output of a Stern-Gerlach magnet is quantized along the direction of its magnetic field. The Quantization Direction of Output box contains 2 editable fields. You must enter into them the polar coordinates theta and phi that specify the magnetic field's direction.


Quantization Directions of Inputs

The Quantization Directions of Inputs box contains a table. The first column of the table lists the names of the parent nodes of the focus node. The cells of the first column cannot be edited directly by the user.

The second column of the table gives the spin of the parent nodes. The computer determines the type (either 1 or 2) of each parent node. It then writes the symbol "-" inside spin cells of type 1 nodes and the symbol "- +" inside spin cells of type 2 nodes. Clicking on the spin cell of a type 1 parent node toggles the spin between + and -. Clicking on the spin cell of a type 2 parent node does nothing.

The cells of the last two columns can be edited directly by the user. You must enter into them the polar coordinates that specify the quantization direction of each parent node.


More information about Stern-Gerlach magnets can be found in the document entitled "Quantum Fog Library Of Essays" that accompanies this manual.


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