English

Quantum simulator for the Schwinger effect with atoms in bi-chromatic optical lattices

Quantum Physics 2011-11-28 v2 Quantum Gases

Abstract

Ultra-cold atoms in specifically designed optical lattices can be used to mimic the many-particle Hamiltonian describing electrons and positrons in an external electric field. This facilitates the experimental simulation of (so far unobserved) fundamental quantum phenomena such as the Schwinger effect, i.e., spontaneous electron-positron pair creation out of the vacuum by a strong electric field.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1103.0541,
  title  = {Quantum simulator for the Schwinger effect with atoms in bi-chromatic optical lattices},
  author = {Nikodem Szpak and Ralf Schützhold},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1103.0541},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

4 pages, 2 figures; minor corrections and improvements in text and in figures; references added