Electronic spectrum of a two-dimensional Fibonacci lattice

The electronic spectrum and wave functions of a new quasicrystal structure—a two-dimensional Fibonacci lattice—are investigated in the tight-binding approximation using the method of the level statistics. This is a self-similar structure consisting of three elementary structural units. The “central” and “nodal” decoration of this structure are examined. It is shown that the electronic energy spectrum of a two-dimensional Fibonacci lattice contains a singular part, but in contrast to a one-dimensional Fibonacci lattice the spectrum does not contain a hierarchical gap structure. The measure of allowed states (Lebesgue measure) of the spectrum is different from zero, and for “central” decoration it is close to 1. The character of the localization of the wave functions is investigated, and it is found that the wave functions are “critical.” Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 1834–1842 (November 1999)     

Coherent transport of neutral atoms in spin-dependent optical lattice potentials

We demonstrate the controlled coherent transport and splitting of atomic wave packets in spin-dependent optical lattice potentials. Such experiments open intriguing possibilities for quantum state engineering of many body states. After first preparing localized atomic wave functions in an optical lattice through a Mott insulating phase, we place each atom in a superposition of two internal spin states. Then state selective optical potentials are used to split the wave function of a single atom and transport the corresponding wave packets in two opposite directions. Coherence between the wave packets of an atom delocalized over up to seven lattice sites is demonstrated.     

Clock-transition spectrum of ^171yb atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice

An optical atomic clock with 171Yb atoms is devised and tested. By using a two-stage Doppler cooling technique, the 171Yb atoms are cooled down to a temperature of 6 ± 3 μK, which is close to the Doppler limit. Then, the cold 171Yb atoms are loaded into a one-dimensional optical lattice with a wavelength of 759 nm in the Lamb-Dicke regime. Furthermore, these cold 171Yb atoms are excited from the ground-state 1S0 to the excited-state 3P0 by a clock laser with a wavelength of 578 nm. Finally, the 1S0-3P0 clock-transition spectrum of these 171Yb atoms is obtained by measuring the dependence of the population of the ground-state 1S0 upon the clock-laser detuning.     

Peculiarities of mode spectrum in two-dimensional Bragg structures

The fundamental difference in the eigenmode spectrum for traditional one-dimensional (1D) periodical Bragg structures and novel two-dimensional (2D) periodical Bragg structures of planar and coaxial geometry is discussed. In the case of 1D Bragg structures, the eigenmode frequencies are located outside the Bragg reflection zone while for 2D Bragg structures the highest Q-factor modes are located just near to the frequency of Bragg resonance and the mechanism for the formation of these modes is related to the coupling of the longitudinal and transverse propagating wave fluxes. The main eigenmode possesses a Q-factor which substantially exceeds the Q-factor of the other modes even in the case when the system transverse size is much greater than the wavelength that encourage the use of 2D Bragg structures for mode selection in powerful oscillators with oversized microwave systems.     

Trapping of neutral mercury atoms and prospects for optical lattice clocks

We report vapor-cell magneto-optical trapping of Hg isotopes on the (1)S(0)-(3)P(1) intercombination transition. Six abundant isotopes, including four bosons and two fermions, were trapped. Hg is the heaviest nonradioactive atom trapped so far, which enables sensitive atomic searches for "new physics" beyond the standard model. We propose an accurate optical lattice clock based on Hg and evaluate its systematic accuracy to be better than 10;{-18}. Highly accurate and stable Hg-based clocks will provide a new avenue for the research of optical lattice clocks and the time variation of the fine-structure constant.     

Modeling of surfaces of constant force above a lattice of close-packed atoms in the repulsive mode

Surfaces of constant force (force contours) are calculated for the scanning of an AFM tip over a lattice of close-packed atoms in the repulsive mode. It is shown that discontinuities are observed on the force contours in the regions between the atoms of the surface lattice for sufficiently small initial scanning heights of a tip with a single atom at its end. A cluster model of the tip end, which ensures continuity of the scanning at arbitrary initial heights, is constructed. The dependence of the AFM images on the orientation of the cluster on the tip end relative to the crystallographic axes of the surface is investigated for both an unperturbed lattice of close-packed atoms and a lattice containing point defects. The diagnostic possibilities of the findings are discussed. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 77–85 (June 1997)     

Cavity resonant mode in a metal film perforated with two-dimensional triangular lattice hole arrays

The transmission property of metallic films with two-dimensional hole arrays is studied experimentally and numerically. For a triangular lattice subwavelength hole array in a 150 nm thick Ag film, both cavity resonance and planar surface modes are identified as the sources of enhanced optical transmissions. Semi-analytical models are developed for calculating the dispersion relation of the cavity resonant mode. They agree well with the experimental results and full-wave numerical calculations. Strong interaction between the cavity resonant mode and surface modes is also observed.     

The neutral weak current in muonic atoms

The measurement of parity-odd observables in muonic atoms has eluded realization for ten years. Nevertheless, determination of the coupling constants which characterize the weak neutral current of muons remains an important goal. Since the muonic atom is essentially an hydrogen-like system, the precise determination of neutral current couplings and observation of higher order weak and electromagnetic corrections may be possible. Moreover, the effects of neutral currents in atomic systems are determined by a different combination of couplings than effects measured at high energy. Finally, comparison of effects in muonic and conventional atoms would confirm the university of neutral current couplings.Current proposals to measure parity-odd observables exploit the physics of nuclei and atoms as well as of muonic atoms. This report attempts a systematic presentation of the physics required to understand the proposals and the interpretation of the measurements. The three most promising measurements in thulium, neon and boron are discussed in detail.     

Guiding neutral atoms on a chip

We demonstrate the guiding of neutral atoms by the magnetic fields due to microfabricated current-carrying wires on a chip. Atoms are guided along a magnetic field minimum parallel to and above the current-carrying wires. Two guide configurations are demonstrated: one using two wires with an external magnetic field, and a second using four wires without an external field. These guide geometries can be extended to integrated atom optics circuits, including beam splitters.     

Nonlinear dynamics of a two-dimensional lattice

The dynamics of the nonlinear excitations in a two-dimensional (2D) φ⁴-diatomic lattice, with nonlinear on-site electron-phonon coupling at the polarizable ion site has been presented, without considering the self consistent phonon approximation. One of the major results obtained from our calculations is in the understanding of continuous structural phase transition, where we have obtained the minimum in soft mode frequency at a soft mode temperatureT _s (>T _c), not at critical temperatureT _c. This occurs due to the anisotropy of such 2D systems.     

Ultracold atoms in a tunable optical kagome lattice

We realize a two-dimensional kagome lattice for ultracold atoms by overlaying two commensurate triangular optical lattices generated by light at the wavelengths of 532 and 1064 nm. Stabilizing and tuning the relative position of the two lattices, we explore different lattice geometries including a kagome, a one-dimensional stripe, and a decorated triangular lattice. We characterize these geometries using Kapitza-Dirac diffraction and by analyzing the Bloch-state composition of a superfluid released suddenly from the lattice. The Bloch-state analysis also allows us to determine the ground-state distribution within the superlattice unit cell. The lattices implemented in this work offer a near-ideal realization of a paradigmatic model of many-body quantum physics, which can serve as a platform for future studies of geometric frustration.     

Beta-decay experiments of neutral atoms in a magneto-optical trap

Magneto optical traps (MOT) allow the cooling and storing of neutral atoms in a volume of a few cubic millimeters by use of laser beams and a magnetic field. Such devices offer new and exciting opportunities for precision measurements of radioactive isotopes. Here we present experiments performed with a double-MOT system coupled to the on-line separator TISOL at TRIUMF/Vancouver, Canada. For the first time, the Β-decay of free atoms stored in such a device could be observed. We report on coincidence measurements between beta-particles and the argon recoils in the decay of ³⁷K and ³⁸rm{m}}K. The charge state ratios of the recoil-ions were deduced by Time-Of-Flight separation in an acceleration field. The final goal of those investigations is a precision test of the Standard Model by measuring the –nu-correlation parameter a. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The interaction of nonlinear waves in two-dimensional lattice

This paper investigates the collision between two nonlinear waves with arbitrary angle in two-dimensional nonlinear lattice. By using the extended Poincarge-Lighthill-Kuo perturbation method, it obtains two Korteweg-de Vries equations for nonlinear waves in both the ζ and η directions, respectively, and derives the analytical phase shifts after the collision of two nonlinear waves. Finally, the solution of u（υ） up to O（ε^3） order is given.     

Remarks on the mass spectrum of two-dimensional Toda lattice of E8 type

A simple procedure for obtaining the mass spectrum of 2-dimensional Toda lattice of E₈ type is given.     

The effect of surface channeling of neutral atoms

Special features of reflection of neutral atoms from crystal surfaces are considered in the case of grazing incidence. It is shown that polarization effects and the long-range part of the potential of interaction of ions with atomic chains and planes can play an important role in describing processes of reflection of atoms from the surface. The analysis in this paper shows that the polarization of accelerated neutral atoms in the case of grazing incidence on the surface can lead to the formation of bound surface states. The threshold condition for the angle of arrival of atoms at the plane at which the capture by such states is possible is obtained.