38 research outputs found
An accelerator mode based technique for studying quantum chaos
We experimentally demonstrate a method for selecting small regions of phase
space for kicked rotor quantum chaos experiments with cold atoms. Our technique
uses quantum accelerator modes to selectively accelerate atomic wavepackets
with localized spatial and momentum distributions. The potential used to create
the accelerator mode and subsequently realize the kicked rotor system is formed
by a set of off-resonant standing wave light pulses. We also propose a method
for testing whether a selected region of phase space exhibits chaotic or
regular behavior using a Ramsey type separated field experiment.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, some modest revisions to previous version (esp.
to the figures) to aid clarity; accepted for publication in Physical Review A
(due out on January 1st 2003
Quantum carpet interferometry for trapped atomic Bose-Einstein condensates
We propose an ``interferometric'' scheme for Bose-Einstein condensates using
near-field diffraction. The scheme is based on the phenomenon of intermode
traces or quantum carpets; we show how it may be used in the detection of weak
forces.Comment: 4 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Realization of a single Josephson junction for Bose-Einstein condensates
We report on the realization of a double-well potential for Rubidium-87
Bose-Einstein condensates. The experimental setup allows the investigation of
two different dynamical phenomena known for this system - Josephson
oscillations and self-trapping. We give a detailed discussion of the
experimental setup and the methods used for calibrating the relevant
parameters. We compare our experimental findings with the predictions of an
extended two-mode model and find quantitative agreement
Atom-optics hologram in the time domain
The temporal evolution of an atomic wave packet interacting with object and
reference electromagnetic waves is investigated beyond the weak perturbation of
the initial state. It is shown that the diffraction of an ultracold atomic beam
by the inhomogeneous laser field can be interpreted as if the beam passes
through a three-dimensional hologram, whose thickness is proportional to the
interaction time. It is found that the diffraction efficiency of such a
hologram may reach 100% and is determined by the duration of laser pulses. On
this basis a method for reconstruction of the object image with matter waves is
offered.Comment: RevTeX, 13 pages, 8 figures; minor grammatical change
Ultra-fast propagation of Schr\"odinger waves in absorbing media
We identify the characteristic times of the evolution of a quantum wave
generated by a point source with a sharp onset in an absorbing medium. The
"traversal'' or "B\"uttiker-Landauer'' time (which grows linearly with the
distance to the source) for the Hermitian, non-absorbing case is substituted by
three different characteristic quantities. One of them describes the arrival of
a maximum of the density calculated with respect to position, but the maximum
with respect to time for a given position becomes independent of the distance
to the source and is given by the particle's ``survival time'' in the medium.
This later effect, unlike the Hartman effect, occurs for injection frequencies
under or above the cut-off, and for arbitrarily large distances. A possible
physical realization is proposed by illuminating a two-level atom with a
detuned laser
Time of arrival through interacting environments: Tunneling processes
We discuss the propagation of wave packets through interacting environments.
Such environments generally modify the dispersion relation or shape of the wave
function. To study such effects in detail, we define the distribution function
P_{X}(T), which describes the arrival time T of a packet at a detector located
at point X. We calculate P_{X}(T) for wave packets traveling through a
tunneling barrier and find that our results actually explain recent
experiments. We compare our results with Nelson's stochastic interpretation of
quantum mechanics and resolve a paradox previously apparent in Nelson's
viewpoint about the tunneling time.Comment: Latex 19 pages, 11 eps figures, title modified, comments and
references added, final versio
Dynamic generation of maximally entangled photon multiplets by adiabatic passage
The adiabatic passage scheme for quantum state synthesis, in which atomic
Zeeman coherences are mapped to photon states in an optical cavity, is extended
to the general case of two degenerate cavity modes with orthogonal
polarization. Analytical calculations of the dressed-state structure and Monte
Carlo wave-function simulations of the system dynamics show that, for a
suitably chosen cavity detuning, it is possible to generate states of photon
multiplets that are maximally entangled in polarization. These states display
nonclassical correlations of the type described by Greenberger, Horne, and
Zeilinger (GHZ). An experimental scheme to realize a GHZ measurement using
coincidence detection of the photons escaping from the cavity is proposed. The
correlations are found to originate in the dynamics of the adiabatic passage
and persist even if cavity decay and GHZ state synthesis compete on the same
time scale. Beyond entangled field states, it is also possible to generate
entanglement between photons and the atom by using a different atomic
transition and initial Zeeman state.Comment: 22 pages (RevTeX), including 23 postscript figures. To be published
in Physical Review
AEGIS at CERN: Measuring Antihydrogen Fall
The main goal of the AEGIS experiment at the CERN Antiproton Decelerator is
the test of fundamental laws such as the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) and
CPT symmetry. In the first phase of AEGIS, a beam of antihydrogen will be
formed whose fall in the gravitational field is measured in a Moire'
deflectometer; this will constitute the first test of the WEP with antimatter.Comment: Presented at the Fifth Meeting on CPT and Lorentz Symmetry,
Bloomington, Indiana, June 28-July 2, 201
Thermodynamics of Dipolar Chain Systems
The thermodynamics of a quantum system of layers containing perpendicularly
oriented dipolar molecules is studied within an oscillator approximation for
both bosonic and fermionic species. The system is assumed to be built from
chains with one molecule in each layer. We consider the effects of the
intralayer repulsion and quantum statistical requirements in systems with more
than one chain. Specifically, we consider the case of two chains and solve the
problem analytically within the harmonic Hamiltonian approach which is accurate
for large dipole moments. The case of three chains is calculated numerically.
Our findings indicate that thermodynamic observables, such as the heat
capacity, can be used to probe the signatures of the intralayer interaction
between chains. This should be relevant for near future experiments on polar
molecules with strong dipole moments.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, final versio