Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice with dynamically variable periodicity
Quantum Gases
2010-08-13 v2
Abstract
The use of a dynamic "accordion" lattice with ultracold atoms is demonstrated. Ultracold atoms of Rb are trapped in a two-dimensional optical lattice, and the spacing of the lattice is then increased in both directions from 2.2 to 5.5 microns. Atoms remain bound for expansion times as short as a few milliseconds, and the experimentally measured minimum ramp time is found to agree well with numerical calculations. This technique allows an experiment such as quantum simulations to be performed with a lattice spacing smaller than the resolution limit of the imaging system, while allowing imaging of the atoms at individual lattice sites by subsequent expansion of the optical lattice.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1005.4816,
title = {Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice with dynamically variable periodicity},
author = {S. Al-Assam and R. A. Williams and C. J. Foot},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1005.4816},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
4 pages, 3 figures. Minor changes made and references updated