Direct current in a stirred optical lattice

Journal Article · 14 August 2022 · Annals of Physics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aop.2022.169075 · OSTI ID:1924254

Pershoguba, Sergey S. ^[1]; Yakovenko, Victor M. ^[2]

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1. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States); Physics department, University of New Hampshire
2. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

We study how the energy dispersion of bosonic atoms loaded into an optical lattice becomes modified due to periodic circular stirring of the lattice to the second order in the strength of stirring. If the lattice breaks mirror symmetry, the bosonic atoms may acquire a nonzero group velocity at the center of the Brillouin zone and produce a nonzero direct current. Furthermore, this effect is similar to the circular photogalvanic effect in solid-state physics. It can be used to transport neutral bosonic atoms in an optical lattice over a given distance in an arbitrary direction. However, when the drive frequency is detuned to avoid resonant transitions with energy absorption, we argue that the induced current is not persistent, but transient. An experimental study of the relaxation of the induced current can provide insight about equilibrization in driven systems.

• Research Organization: Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0020221
• OSTI ID: 1924254
• Journal Information: Annals of Physics, Journal Name: Annals of Physics Vol. 447; ISSN 0003-4916
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English