Correlated dynamics in a synthetic lattice of momentum states
Abstract
We study the influence of atomic interactions on quantum simulations in momentum-space lattices (MSLs), where driven transitions between discrete momentum states mimic transport between sites of a synthetic lattice. Low energy atomic collisions, which are short ranged in real space, relate to nearly infinite-ranged interactions in momentum space. However, the added exchange energy between atoms in distinguishable momentum states leads to an effectively attractive, finite-ranged interaction in momentum space. In this work, we observe the onset of self-trapping driven by such interactions in a momentum-space double well, paving the way for more complex many-body studies in tailored MSLs. We consider the types of phenomena that may result from these interactions, including the formation of chiral solitons in topological zigzag lattices.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1708.01237,
title = {Correlated dynamics in a synthetic lattice of momentum states},
author = {Fangzhao Alex An and Eric J. Meier and Jackson Ang'ong'a and Bryce Gadway},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1708.01237},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
6 pages, 3 figures; 3 pages of supplementary materials; This submission supersedes arXiv:1702.07315 with updated experimental results