PhD Thesis : “In this work, we focus on a droplet, that can bounce on a liquid surface. More surprisingly this droplet can even move along a liquid surface. It is propelled by its own waves, generated at each bounce, and evolves at a well defined speed. This curious macroscopic object is called a « walker ». Moreover, it seems to present various analogies with the world of quantum mechanics and it has fascinated the scientists since its discovery in 2005 [34]. Indeed, the droplet is associated with its own waves, such that the droplet behaviour is intimately linked to the waves, which is a striking curiosity. In this thesis, we investigate further this subject of a droplet between wave-particle physics and fluid mechanics. Various experiments have been performed for a better understanding of walkers. They cover a wide range of 2d systems [35]. Some experiments develop methods to confine or trap droplets, upon using 2d harmonic potential (…)
However, there are only a few studies reported on a 1d system droplet. We wonder then, how to confine a droplet in 1d. Can we find a method to constrain its trajectory along a 1d path? Can experiments of walkers in 1d open new doors through other curiosities related to quantum mechanics? If not, how close to the wave-particle physics can we go? Is the walker entity a real analog to the quantum world, or just a curiosity ? As a starting point, we study the influence of the liquid height on the droplet behaviour. We wonder then how a linear cavity can trap a drop, and how the width of this cavity influences the confinement of a drop. How does droplet confinement affect the interactions between walkers? In this manuscript, we give answers to those different questions, and shed light on other curiosities.”

Proposition of an interferometer for walkers !

 

Filoux, B (2017), Walking droplet above cavities, Thèse, GRASP, Univ. Liège

 

orbi.ulg.be/bitstream/2268/214607/1/Thesis_BFiloux_WDAC.pdf