Investigation of the gas optical trapping by non-resonance emission with regard for intermolecular collisions

We investigate the process of gas trapping by a moving interference lattice formed by laser radiation of nonresonance frequency (the optical gas trapping) with regard for intermolecular collisions. For the transitional regime (when the mean free path of gas molecules λ is less than the lattice period) the energy and momentum transfer from a moving optical lattice to gas is found to realize more intensively than in the case of a free molecular regime. The maximum values of the gas velocity and heating are shown to be determined by the lattice velocity and weakly depend on the laser intensity. The work was supported financially by the “Russian Science Support Foundation” and by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grants Nos. 06-08-00687 and 06-01-22000).     

Numerical prediction of optical lattice-induced gas heating within multipass optical cavities

Direct simulation Monte Carlo was used to investigate the potential of non-resonant optical lattice gas heating in the context of two proposed multipass optical cavity designs. One-dimensional lattices were formed by two 5 ns, 100 mJ, 532 nm simulated laser pulses in the presence of molecular nitrogen. Simulations suggest that these cavity designs are able to facilitate a several fold increases in deposited energy as a result of optical lattice gas heating, with the more efficient of these designs leading to a 14-fold increased temperature change (ΔT ≈ 350 K) for the first ten passes over the single-pass case (ΔT ≈ 25 K).     

Asymmetric vortex solitons in nonlinear periodic lattices

We reveal the existence of asymmetric vortex solitons in ideally symmetric periodic lattices and show how such nonlinear localized structures describing elementary circular flows can be analyzed systematically using the energy-balance relations. We present the examples of rhomboid, rectangular, and triangular vortex solitons on a square lattice and also describe novel coherent states where the populations of clockwise and anticlockwise vortex modes change periodically due to a nonlinearity-induced momentum exchange through the lattice. Asymmetric vortex solitons are expected to exist in different nonlinear lattice systems, including optically induced photonic lattices, nonlinear photonic crystals, and Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices.     

A driven three-dimensional electric lattice for polar molecules

Three-dimensional (3D) driven optical lattices have attained great attention for their wide applications in the quest to engineer new and exotic quantum phases. Here we propose a 3D driven electric lattice (3D-DEL) for cold polar molecules as a natural extension. Our 3D electric lattice is composed of a series of thin metal plates in which two-dimensional square hole arrays are distributed. When suitable modulated voltages are applied to these metal plates, a 3D potential well array for polar molecules can be generated and can move smoothly back and forth in the lattice. Thus, it can drive cold polar molecules confined in the 3D electric lattice. Theoretical analyses and trajectory calculations using two types of molecules, ND₃ and PbF, are performed to justify the possibility of our scheme. The 3D-DEL offers a platform for investigating cold molecules in periodic driven potentials, such as quantum computing science, quantum information processing, and some other possible applications amenable to the driven optical lattices.     

基于调制光晶格的中性分子束光学Stark减速与囚禁的理论研究

本文基于分子束光学Stark减速理论,提出采用调制的红失谐光晶格来减速和囚禁任意脉冲超声分子束方案,并予以理论研究.以CH₄超声分子束为例,利用Monte-Carlo方法模拟了调制光晶格中的分子减速与囚禁的动力学过程,给出减速级数、同步分子初始位相角与减速效果的关系.研究结果表明：随着减速级数的增加,被减速的分子波包逐渐从原来的分子速度分布的大波包中分离开来,且减速级数越高,减速后的分子速度越小.在其他条件相同时同步分子初始位相角越大,减速波包内的分子数目越少,同时位相空间被压缩.与未调制的光晶格减速方案相比,本方案中无分子自由飞行过程,在相同的光晶格长度内完成了双倍的减速级数.当光晶格长度取3.71 mm时,模拟结果显示CH₄分子从280 m/s减速至172 m/s,而未调制光晶格只能将CH₄分子从280 m/s减速至232 m/s,减速效果提高了26%.本方案可以集分子的减速、囚禁于一体,是一种新型的分子光学功能器件,在冷分子光学、量子信息、冷化学等前沿研究领域中有潜在的应用.     

Optimal trapping wavelengths of Cs2 molecules in an optical lattice

The present paper aims at finding optimal parameters for trapping of Cs₂ molecules in optical lattices, with the perspective of creating a quantum degenerate gas of ground-state molecules. We have calculated dynamic polarizabilities of Cs₂ molecules subject to an oscillating electric field, using accurate potential curves and electronic transition dipole moments. We show that for some particular wavelengths of the optical lattice, called “magic wavelengths”, the polarizability of the ground-state molecules is equal to the one of a Feshbach molecule. As the creation of the sample of ground-state molecules relies on an adiabatic population transfer from weakly-bound molecules created on a Feshbach resonance, such a coincidence ensures that both the initial and final states are favorably trapped by the lattice light, allowing optimized transfer in agreement with the experimental observation.     

深光晶格势阱中凝聚体的扭结包络隙孤子

发展准离散多尺度法结合紧束缚近似,解析地研究了局陷于光晶格势阱中凝聚体的非线性动力学性质.结果发现,系统中出现稳定的对称包络孤子外,还可观察到一种新的非线性元激发:扭结包络隙孤子.有趣的是,该隙孤子并不传播且局域在初始位置,其幅度可通过光晶格势阱的晶格常数和势阱深度来调控.相应的实验方案是:通过改变形成光晶格势阱的两交叉耦合激光束之间的夹角和(或)激光光强来调控扭结包络隙孤子的幅度.     

基于~(87)Rb原子的大失谐光晶格的设计与操控

提出了一种基于~(87)Rb原子的大失谐光学晶格的设计方案,详细介绍了光晶格光束的校准、频率失谐的调整以及光强输出的控制方式.在磁光阱和偏振梯度冷却的基础上,研究了光学晶格的总光强和频率失谐等参数对原子装载的影响,实现了光晶格中冷原子的绝热装载与卸载.通过光强调制的方法,测量了光晶格的振动频率.光晶格的引入,使得温度降低为原有的1/3.涉及的系统设计和结论对其他碱金属原子光晶格的实验设计具有参考价值.     

A simple method for fabricating two- and three-dimensional photorefractive photonic lattices microstructures

We demonstrate an approach for easy fabrication of two- and three-dimensional optically induced nonlinear photonic lattices microstructures in photorefractive crystal by applying spatial filter and amplitude mask. The experimental setup of this method is very simple and flexible without complicated optical adjustment system. It can be applied in almost any optical laboratories. Two-dimensional hexagonal, square and three-dimensional hexagonal nonlinear photonic lattices microstructures have been produced in an iron-doped lithium niobate photorefractive crystal. The period of the induced photonic lattices microstructures can be dominated easily. This method is easily extended to generate more complex photonic lattices microstructures in photorefractive crystals, such as quasicrystal lattice.     

Entropy of a one-dimensional mixed lattice gas

This paper deals with the grand canonical entropy of a lattice gas mixture. The entropy is a function of the multisite densities corresponding to the interaction pattern of the system in question. It is first evaluated for a nearest-neighborinteraction, one-dimensional simple lattice gas to show how the structure of bulk fluid is locally maintained. Generalization requires one set of interrelations among multisite densities presented in closed form for an arbitrary lattice, and one set between Boltzmann factors and multisite densities which is written down for simply connected lattices. Application is made to two-row lattices, which turn out to have local behavior from this viewpoint, as do all single-row or Bethe lattices with complete range-p interactions. Nonlocal examples are also given, and suggestions made for approximation sequences in general lattices.     

Isolated structures in two-dimensional optical superlattice

Overlaying commensurate optical lattices with various configurations called superlattices can lead to exotic lattice topologies and, in turn, a discovery of novel physics. In this study, by overlapping the maxima of lattices, a new isolated structure is created, while the interference of minima can generate various “sublattice” patterns. Three different kinds of primitive lattices are used to demonstrate isolated square, triangular, and hexagonal “sublattice” structures in a two-dimensional optical superlattice, the patterns of which can be manipulated dynamically by tuning the polarization, frequency, and intensity of laser beams. In addition, we propose the method of altering the relative phase to adjust the tunneling amplitudes in “sublattices”. Our configurations provide unique opportunities to study particle entanglement in “lattices” formed by intersecting wells and to implement special quantum logic gates in exotic lattice geometries.     

Reconfigurable 3D photonic lattices by optical induction for optical control of beam propagation

We report on our recent theoretical and experimental studies of three-dimensional (3D) photonic lattice structures which are established in a bulk nonlinear crystal by employing different optical induction techniques. These 3D photonic lattices bring about new opportunities for controlling the flow of light via coupling engineering originated from the lattice modulation along the beam propagation direction. By fine tuning the lattice parameters, we observe a host of unusual behaviors of beam propagation in such reconfigurable 3D lattices, including enhanced discrete diffraction, light tunneling inhibition—better known as coherent destruction of tunneling (CDT), anomalous diffraction, negative refraction, as well as CDT-based image transmission. In addition, we propose and demonstrate a new way of creating 3D ionic-type photonic lattices by controlled Talbot effect.     

Atomic quantum gases in Kagomé lattices

We demonstrate the possibility of creating and controlling an ideal and trimerized optical Kagomé lattice, and study the low temperature physics of various atomic gases in such lattices. In the trimerized Kagomé lattice, a Bose gas exhibits a Mott transition with fractional filling factors, whereas a spinless interacting Fermi gas at 2/3 filling behaves as a quantum magnet on a triangular lattice. Finally, a Fermi-Fermi mixture at half-filling for both components represents a frustrated quantum antiferromagnet with a resonating-valence-bond ground state and quantum spin liquid behavior dominated by a continuous spectrum of singlet and triplet excitations. We discuss the method of preparing and observing such a quantum spin liquid employing molecular Bose condensates.     

Long-lived dipolar molecules and Feshbach molecules in a 3D optical lattice

We have realized long-lived ground-state polar molecules in a 3D optical lattice, with a lifetime of up to 25 s, which is limited only by off-resonant scattering of the trapping light. Starting from a 2D optical lattice, we observe that the lifetime increases dramatically as a small lattice potential is added along the tube-shaped lattice traps. The 3D optical lattice also dramatically increases the lifetime for weakly bound Feshbach molecules. For a pure gas of Feshbach molecules, we observe a lifetime of greater than 20 s in a 3D optical lattice; this represents a 100-fold improvement over previous results. This lifetime is also limited by off-resonant scattering, the rate of which is related to the size of the Feshbach molecule. Individually trapped Feshbach molecules in the 3D lattice can be converted to pairs of K and Rb atoms and back with nearly 100% efficiency.     

Soliton dragging by dynamic optical lattices

We report on the phenomenon of controllable soliton dragging by dynamic optical lattices induced by three imbalanced interfering plane waves. Because of such an imbalance, the transverse momentum of the lattice does not vanish, and thus the dynamic lattice can cause soliton dragging. The dragging rate is shown to depend on the amplitude and on the angle of incidence of the third plane wave making the optical lattice.     

Highly asymmetric soliton complexes in parabolic optical lattices

We introduce multipole soliton complexes in optical lattices induced by nondiffracting parabolic beams. Despite the symmetry breaking dictated by the curvature of the lattice channels, we find that complex, asymmetric higher-order states can be stable. The unique topology of parabolic lattices affords new types of soliton motion: single solitons launched into the lattice with nonzero transverse momentum perform periodic oscillations along parabolic paths.     

Matter-wave bright solitons in effective bichromatic lattice potentials

Matter-wave bright solitons in bichromatic lattice potentials are considered and their dynamics for different lattice environments are studied. Bichromatic potentials are created from superpositions of (i) two linear optical lattices and (ii) a linear and a nonlinear optical lattice. Effective potentials are found for the solitons in both bichromatic lattices and a comparative study is done on the dynamics of solitons with respect to the effective potentials. The effects of dispersion on solitons in bichromatic lattices are studied and it is found that the dispersive spreading can be minimized by appropriate combinations of lattice and interaction parameters. Stability of nondispersive matter-wave solitons is checked from phase portrait analysis.     

一维冷原子晶格中相干诱导三光子带隙

基于电磁感应透明技术,将相干耦合的Tripod型原子俘获在一维光晶格中并使其呈高斯型分布,由于介质的折射率被一维光晶格周期性调制,从而实现动态调控的三光子带隙结构.通过求解光场与原子相互作用密度矩阵方程以及光波在周期性介质中散射的传输矩阵方程,计算出探测场在相干驱动介质中的稳态反射谱和透射谱.计算结果表明:光子带隙的位置、宽度以及反射率可以通过改变两个耦合场的失谐、强度和几何布拉格失谐来调谐.     

Generation of sub-half-wavelength micro-optical traps by dichroic evanescent standing waves

The bi-dimensional optical lattices formed by several sets of laser evanescent standing waves propagating at the surface of a dielectric prism are investigated. The characteristics of the optical traps including their depths and the sizes are analysed. It is shown that the micro-optical lattice with a sub-half-wavelength size can be achieved by the interference of the selected evanescent waves. The scheme together with the recently developed atomic chip may be used for atomic quantum manipulation.     

Analysis of atomic density distributions in optical lattices using an optical mask

We use an optical-mask technique to study the atomic density distribution in two types of optical lattices. In a two-beam lattice involving magnetic-field-induced laser cooling (MILC lattice), the measurements show, in agreement with simulations, an atomic distribution having periodicity equal to half the wavelength, λ, of the lattice fields and a modulation depth of about 20%. In a four-beam optical lattice involving Raman transitions, clear evidence of a λ/4-periodicity of the atomic distribution is found.