A statistical approach to quantum mechanics

A Monte Carlo method is used to evaluate the Euclidean version of Feynman's sum over particle histories. Following Feynman's treatment, individual paths are defined on a discrete (imaginary) time lattice with periodic boundary conditions. On each lattice site, a continuous position variable x_i specifies the spacial location of the particle. Using a modified Metropolis algorithm, the low-lying energy eigenvalues, |ψ₀(x)|², the propagator, and the effective potential for the anharmonic oscillator are computed, in good agreement with theory. For a deep double-well potential, instantons were found in our computer simulations appearing as multi-kink configurations on the lattice.     

有效质量法调控原子玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体的双阱动力学

操控原子玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体在双势阱中的动力学通常是通过改变势阱深度来实现,本文提出了一种基于调节原子有效质量的控制方案,可以在不改变双阱势的前提下操控凝聚体的双阱动力学.利用双模近似,本文解析地导出了超冷原子在双阱势中的隧穿强度和相互作用强度对有效质量的依赖关系,并基于平均场近似数值模拟了在有效质量调节下的凝聚体动力学演化,展示了隧穿振荡和自束缚等典型的双阱动力学行为.此外,本文的研究还发现,借助负有效质量效应,这一方案甚至可以等效地实现对负散射长度原子凝聚体双阱动力学行为的操控.     

Numerical simulation on tunnel splitting of Bose-Einstein condensate in multi-well potentials

The low-energy-level macroscopic wave functions of the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped in a symmetric double-well and a periodic potential are obtained by solving the Gross-Pitaevskii equation numerically. The ground state tunnel splitting is evaluated in terms of the even and odd wave functions corresponding to the global ground and excited states respectively. We show that the numerical result is in good agreement with the analytic level splitting obtained by means of the periodic instanton method.     

Specific features of the properties of Hg-Te lattice vibrations in Cd1 − y Hg y Te alloys enriched with CdTe

In alloys (solid solutions) Cd_{1 ? y} Hg _y Te enriched with CdTe, the properties of Hg-Te lattice vibrations are determined by a single-well lattice potential for the Hg atom located at the center of the anion tetrahedron. The HgTe-enriched alloys retain the anomalous properties of Hg-Te lattice vibrations, which are determined by a double-well lattice potential for the Hg atom located in the off-center position at low temperatures; a shallower well of the potential for the Hg atom located at the center of the anion tetrahedron is filled upon thermal activation. The polarizability of the ion pair in the TO mode of Hg-Te lattice vibrations with the Hg atom located at the center of the anion tetrahedron for the CdTe-enriched alloys considerably exceeds the polarizability of the pair with the off-center Hg atom for the HgTe-enriched alloys.     

Coupled atomic-molecular condensates in a double-well potential: decaying molecular oscillations

We present a four-mode model that describes coherent photo-association (PA) in a double-well Bose-Einstein condensate, focusing on the average molecular populations in certain parameters. Our numerical results predict an interesting strong-damping effect of molecular oscillations by controlling the particle tunnellings and PA light strength, which may provide a promising way for creating a stable molecular condensate via coherent PA in a magnetic double-well potential.     

Integrable discrete static Hamiltonian with a parametric double-well potential

A one-dimensional discrete conservative Hamiltonian with a generalized form of the Schmidt potential, is constructed with the help of a non-integrable discrete Hamiltonian whose parametrized double-well potential can be reduced to the ?⁴ potential. The new conservative Hamiltonian is completely integrable in the discrete static regime, and the associate exact nonlinear solution is shown to coincide with the continuum nonlinear periodic solution of the non-integrable Hamiltonian. Numerical simulations and nonlinear stability analysis suggest that the discrete mapping derived from the completely integrable Hamiltonian undergoes a bifurcation which does not leads to the chaotic phase with randomly pinned states, but instead to a phase where real solutions become rare forming a cluster of periodic points around an elliptic fixed point.     

Bose–Einstein condensates in 1D- and 2D optical lattices

Bose–Einstein condensates of rubidium atoms are transferred into one- and two-dimensional optical lattice potentials. The phase coherence of the condensate wavefunction in the lattice potential is studied by suddenly releasing the atoms from the trapping potential and observing the multiple matter-wave interference pattern of several thousand expanding quantum gases. We show how arbitrary phase gradients can be mapped onto the periodic wavefunction through the application of a potential gradient. Furthermore, the experimentally measured strength of the momentum components is compared to a theoretical model of the condensate wavefunction in the lattice. Received: 3 July 2001 / Revised version: 26 September 2001 / Published online: 23 November 2001     

Generating periodic interference in Bose–Einstein condensates

The interference between two condensates with repulsive interaction is investigated numerically by solving the onedimensional time-dependent Gross–Pitaevskii equation.The periodic interference pattern forms in two condensates,which are prepared in a double-well potential consisting of two truncated harmonic wells centered at different positions.Dark solitons are observed when two condensates overlap.Due to the existence of atom–atom interactions,atoms are transferred among the ground state and the excited states,which coincides with the condensate energy change.     

Pinning of vortices in a Bose-Einstein condensate by an optical lattice

We consider the ground state of vortices in a Bose-Einstein condensate. We show that turning on a weak optical periodic potential leads to a transition from the triangular Abrikosov vortex lattice to phases where the vortices are pinned by the optical potential. We discuss the phase diagram of the system for a two-dimensional optical periodic potential with one vortex per optical lattice cell. We also discuss the influence of a one-dimensional optical periodic potential on the vortex ground state. The latter situation has no analog in other condensed-matter systems.     

Effect of the weak interaction on the in situ radii of condensate boson atoms in one or two-dimensional deep optical lattices

In this letter we suggest a theoretical model to investigate the weak interaction dependence of the in situ radii of condensate boson atoms in a combined harmonic with one or two-dimensional deep optical lattice. The semiclassical approximation is employed to calculate the above mentioned parameters. The calculated results showed that the in situ radii depends crucially on the interatomic interaction. Our results can be extended to investigate the moment of inertia of condensate boson atoms in combined harmonic-optical potential as well as superfluidity nature of synthetically charged boson atoms in combined potential.     

Optically induced lensing effect on a Bose-Einstein condensate expanding in a moving lattice

We report the experimental observation of a lensing effect on a Bose-Einstein condensate expanding in a moving 1D optical lattice. The effect of the periodic potential can be described by an effective mass dependent on the condensate quasimomentum. By changing the velocity of the atoms in the frame of the optical lattice, we induce a focusing of the condensate along the lattice direction. The experimental results are compared with the numerical predictions of an effective 1D theoretical model. In addition, a precise band spectroscopy of the system is carried out by looking at the real-space propagation of the atomic wave packet in the optical lattice.     

Quantum diffusion of a particle in a periodic potential with ohmic dissipation

The motion of a particle in a periodic potential is studied at low temperatures where transitions between the potential wells are caused by quantum tunnelling. The theory accounts for the dissipative interaction with an environment which for a wide range of parameters leads to incoherent tunnelling at a rate with a nonanalytic temperature dependence. The influence of an external force is determined and a nonanalytic response is found at T = 0. The case of a biased double-well system is treated too.     

Interaction of two-level tunneling system with phonons

Properties of two-level tunneling system which interacts with lattice vibrations are discussed in the framework of the polaron theory and the phase space approach. The decrease of the dynamic distortion of the lattice with increasing ratio η of the rigid-lattice tunneling matrix element to the small polaron binding energy is calculated in the intermediate coupling regime 0 < η < 2. A relatively sharp transition from the distorted to the undistorted state of the lattice takes place when η crosses the value 2. The expressions for the renormalized tunneling matrix element and for the longitudinal relaxation time T₁ are derived. A two-level tunneling model in which the double-well potential is asymmetric is also investigated.     

Cyclotron dynamics of neutral atoms in optical lattices with additional magnetic field and harmonic trap potential

We analytically and numerically discuss the stability and dynamics of neutral atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice subjected to an additional harmonic trap potential and artificial magnetic field. The harmonic trap potential plays a key role in modifying the equilibrium state properties of the system and stabilizing the cyclotron orbits of the condensate.Meanwhile, the presence of the harmonic trap potential and lattice potential results in rich cyclotron dynamics of the condensate. The coupling effects of lattice potential, artificial magnetic field, and harmonic trap potential lead to single periodic, multi-periodic or quasi-periodic cyclotron orbits of the condensate. So we can control the cyclotron dynamics of neutral atoms in optical lattice by manipulating the strength of harmonic confinement, artificial magnetic field, and initial conditions. Our results provide a direct theoretical evidence for the cyclotron dynamics of neutral atoms in optical lattices exposed to the artificial gauge magnetic field and harmonic trap potential.     

Phase of Bose-Einstein Condensate Interacting with a Time-Dependent Laser Field

By using of the invariant theory, we have studied phase of Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential interacting with a time-dependent single-mode traveling-wave laser field, the dynamical and geometric phases are presented respectively. The Aharonov-Anandan phase is also obtained under the cyclical evolution. PACS number: 03.65.Vf; 03.75.Mn.     

Creating nonclassical states of Bose-Einstein condensates by dephasing collisions

We show, using an exactly solvable model, that nonlinear dynamics is induced in a double-well Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) by collisions with a thermal reservoir. This dynamics can facilitate the creation of phase or number squeezing and, at longer times, the creation of macroscopic nonclassical superposition states. Enhancement of these effects is possible by loading the reservoir atoms into an optical lattice.     

Macroscopic spin tunneling and quantum critical behavior of a condensate in a double-well potential

In a previous work [H. Pu, W. Zhang, and P. Meystre, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 140405 (2001)]], we have shown that a spinor condensate confined in a periodic or double-well potential exhibits ferromagnetic behavior due to the magnetic dipole-dipole interactions between different wells, and in the absence of external magnetic field, the ground state has a twofold degeneracy. In this work, we demonstrate the possibility of observing macroscopic quantum spin tunneling between these two degenerate states and show how the tunneling rate critically depends on the strength of the transverse field.     

Exciton condensation driving the periodic lattice distortion of 1T-TiSe2

We address the lattice deformation of 1T-TiSe2 within the exciton condensate phase. We show that, at low temperature, condensed excitons influence the lattice through electron-phonon interaction. It is found that at zero temperature, in the exciton condensate phase of 1T-TiSe2, this exciton condensate exerts a force on the lattice generating ionic displacements comparable in amplitude to what is measured in experiment. This is thus the first quantitative estimation of the amplitude of the periodic lattice distortion observed in 1T-TiSe2 as a consequence of the exciton condensate phase.     

Optical magnetic resonance imaging with an ultra-narrow optical transition

We demonstrate optical magnetic resonance imaging (OMRI) of a Bose?CEinstein condensate of ytterbium atoms trapped in a one-dimensional (1D) optical lattice using an ultra-narrow optical transition ¹S₀?³P₂ (m=?2). We developed a vacuum chamber equipped with a thin glass cell, which provides high optical access and allows a compact design of magnetic coils. A line shape of a measured spectrum of the OMRI is well described by a spatial distribution of the atoms in a 1D optical lattice with the Thomas?CFermi approximation and an applied magnetic field gradient. The observed spectrum exhibits a periodic structure corresponding to the optical lattice periodicity.     

Coherence and Squeezing of Bose-Einstein Condensates in Double Wells

We investigate coherence and squeezing of a two-mode Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a double-well potential. By analytically deriving the form of coherence and numerically calculating the squeezing parameter, we show that the coherence and the squeezing may be controlled by adjusting some parameters of the two-mode Bose-Einstein condensate.