Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Atomic Landau-Zener Tunneling in Fourier-Synthesized Optical Lattices

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Institut fuer Angewandte Physik, Universitaet Bonn, Wegelerstr. 8, D-53115 Bonn (Germany)
We report on an experimental study of quantum transport of atoms in variable periodic optical potentials. The band structure of both ratchet-type asymmetric and symmetric lattice potentials is explored. The variable atom potential is realized by superimposing a conventional standing wave potential of {lambda}/2 spatial periodicity with a fourth-order multiphoton potential of {lambda}/4 periodicity. We find that the Landau-Zener tunneling rate between the first and the second excited Bloch band depends critically on the relative phase between the two spatial lattice harmonics.
OSTI ID:
21024400
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 99; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Fourier synthesis of optical potentials for atomic quantum gases
Journal Article · Thu Dec 14 23:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review. A · OSTI ID:20976536

Atomic Landau-Zener tunneling and Wannier-Stark ladders in optical potentials
Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996 · Physical Review Letters · OSTI ID:285762

Observation of Landau-Zener tunneling through atomic current in the optical lattices
Journal Article · Fri May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review. A · OSTI ID:21304731