Semiclassical catastrophes and cumulative angular squeezing of a kicked quantum rotor

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.69.032102· OSTI ID:20640815

Leibscher, M; Averbukh, I Sh ^[1]; Rozmej, P ^[2]; Arvieu, R ^[3]

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1. Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel)
2. Institute of Physics, University of Zielona Gora, 65246 Zielona Gora (Poland)
3. Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie, 38026 Grenoble Cedex (France)

We present a detailed theory of spectacular semiclassical catastrophes happening during the time evolution of a kicked quantum rotor [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 163601 (2001)]. Both two- and three-dimensional rotational systems are analyzed. It is shown that the wave function of the rotor develops a cusp at certain delay after a kick, which results in a sharply focused rotational wave packet. The cusp is followed by a fold-type catastrophe manifested in the rainbow-type moving singularities. In the three-dimensional case, the rainbows are accompanied by additional singular features similar to the glory structures known in the wave optics. These catastrophes in the time-dependent angular wave function are well described by the appropriate tools of the quasiclassical wave mechanics, i.e., by Airy and Bessel approximations and Pearcey's functions. A scenario of 'cumulative squeezing' is also presented in which a specially designed train of short kicks produces an unlimited narrowing of the rotor angular distribution. This scenario is relevant to the molecular alignment by short laser pulses, and also to the atom lithography schemes in which cold atoms are focused by an optical standing wave.

• OSTI ID: 20640815
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 69; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
ATOMS
EVOLUTION
LASER RADIATION
OPTICS
PULSES
ROTORS
SEMICLASSICAL APPROXIMATION
SINGULARITY
STANDING WAVES
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TIME DEPENDENCE
WAVE FUNCTIONS
WAVE PACKETS