English

Directed motion for delta-kicked atoms with broken symmetries: comparison between theory and experiment

Quantum Physics 2009-11-10 v2

Abstract

We report an experimental investigation of momentum diffusion in the delta-function kicked rotor where time symmetry is broken by a two-period kicking cycle and spatial symmetry by an alternating linear potential. We exploit this, and a technique involving a moving optical potential, to create an asymmetry in the momentum diffusion that is due to the classical chaotic diffusion. This represents a realization of a type of Hamiltonian quantum ratchet.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0309149,
  title  = {Directed motion for delta-kicked atoms with broken symmetries: comparison between theory and experiment},
  author = {P. H. Jones and M. Goonasekera and D. R. Meacher and T. Jonckheere and T. S. Monteiro},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0309149},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

5 pages, 5 figures Now includes experimental data on time evolution and comparison with theory