Effect of superradiance on transport of diffusing photons in cold atomic gases

We show that in atomic gases cooperative effects like superradiance and subradiance lead to a potential between two atoms that decays like 1/r. In the case of superradiance, this potential is attractive for close enough atoms and can be interpreted as a coherent mesoscopic effect. The contribution of superradiant pairs to multiple scattering properties of a dilute gas, such as photon elastic mean free path and group velocity, is significantly different from that of independent atoms. We discuss the conditions under which these effects may be observed and compare our results to recent experiments on photon transport in cold atomic gases.     

Longitudinal spin waves in a dilute bose gas

We present a kinetic theory for a dilute noncondensed Bose gas of two-level atoms that predicts the transient spin segregation observed in a recent experiment. The underlying mechanism driving spin currents in the gas is due to a mean-field effect arising from the quantum interference between the direct and exchange scattering of atoms in different spin states. We numerically solve the spin Boltzmann equation, using a one-dimensional model, and find excellent agreement with experimental data.     

Universal properties of the four-body system with large scattering length

Few-body systems with large scattering length have universal properties that do not depend on the details of their interactions at short distances. We study the universal bound-state properties of the four-boson system with large scattering length in an effective quantum mechanics approach. We compute the four-body binding energies using the Yakubovsky equations for positive and negative scattering length. Moreover, we study the correlation between three- and four-body energies and present a generalized Efimov plot for the four-body system. These results are useful for understanding the cluster structure of nuclei and for the creation of weakly bound tetramers with cold atoms close to a Feshbach resonance.     

变分法研究一维Bose-Fermi系统的稳定性

利用能量泛函变分法研究了一维Bose-Fermi系统稳定基态的存在条件.根据Bose-Fermi系统的Lagrange量可以得到三维Bose-Fermi体系所满足的非线性动力学方程组.当外势阱的横向囚禁频率远大于轴向囚禁频率时,体系可以当作一维模型来处理.从描述三维体系的动力学方程可以得到描述一维体系的动力学方程,选取适当的无量纲参数,可以对一维动力学方程组进行无量纲处理,得到数值计算和理论分析中常用到的无量纲方程.选择高斯型试探解(简单孤立子解),利用能量泛函变分法得到一维Bose-Fermi体系稳定的高斯型孤立子存在条件.分析了两种特殊情况下孤立子能够稳定存在的区域以及原子数的临界条件,最后得出了一般情况下稳定基态存在时临界散射长度与原子数以及波包宽度之间的关系.     

Superradiant scattering of light from a Bose-Einstein condensate of dilute atomic gases

A generalization of the semiclassical model of superradiant scattering of light from a Bose-Einstein condensate of dilute atomic gases is proposed. A number of effects connected with the backward recoil of atoms in this scattering are explained.     

Coherent Scattering of Light by Bose-Einstein Condensation in a Tight Confinement

We have observed strong scattering of a probe light by dilute Bose-Einstein condensate （BEC） ^87Rb gas in a tight magnetic trap. The scattering light forms fringes at the image plane. It is found that we can infer the real size of the condensation and the number of the atoms by modelling the imaging system. We present a quantitative calculation of light scattering by the condensed atoms. The calculation shows that the experimental results agree well with the prediction of the generalized diffraction theory, and thus we can directly observe the phase transition of BEC in a tight trap.     

Large effects of electric fields on atom-molecule collisions at millikelvin temperatures

Controlling interactions between cold molecules using external fields can elucidate the role of quantum mechanics in molecular collisions. We create a new experimental platform in which ultracold rubidium atoms and cold ammonia molecules are separately trapped by magnetic and electric fields and then combined to study collisions. We observe inelastic processes that are faster than expected from earlier field-free calculations. We use quantum scattering calculations to show that electric fields can have a major effect on collision outcomes, even in the absence of dipole-dipole interactions.     

Interference phenomena at the elastic collision of atoms with formation of the Feshbach resonance in the presence of laser radiation field

Resonant scattering of atoms with formation of the Feshbach resonance in the presence of a laser radiation coupling the levels of two bound atoms (a molecule) is considered. The laser field leads to a second resonance in scattering and broadening of resonances, which facilitates the possibility of experimental observation of asymmetry of the total scattering cross-section arising because of interference between resonant and potential scatterings. The effects associated with interference of the two channels of decay of a bound system of two atoms (a molecule) in the laser field are studied. An expression is obtained for the scattering length in collision of two cold atoms in the field of laser radiation.     

Microtrap on a concave grating reflector for atom trapping

We propose a novel scheme of optical confinement for atoms by using a concave grating reflector.The two-dimension grating structure with a concave surface shape exhibits strong focusing ability under radially polarized illumination.Especially,the light intensity at the focal point is about 100 times higher than that of the incident light.Such a focusing optical field reflected from the curved grating structure can provide a deep potential to trap cold atoms.We discuss the feasibility of the structure serving as an optical dipole trap.Our results are as follows.(i) Van der Waals attraction potential to the surface of the structure has a low effect on trapped atoms,(ⅱ) The maximum trapping potential is ~1.14 mK in the optical trap,which is high enough to trap cold ~(87)Rb atoms from a standard magneto-optical trap with a temperature of 120 μK,and the maximum photon scattering rate is lower than 1/s.(ⅲ) Such a microtrap array can also manipulate and control cold molecules,or microscopic particles.     

Superradiant Rayleigh scattering of high-intensity short light pulses from a Bose-Einstein condensate of dilute atomic gases

Equations of a semiclassical model of superradiant Rayleigh scattering of high-intensity short light pulses from a Bose-Einstein condensate of dilute atomic gases are solved numerically taking into account the excitation of atoms by coherent Rayleigh radiation and their recoil in the backward direction. The evolution of the populations of coherent atomic states with a particular momentum is studied, and the pulse shape and the structure of the spectrum of such scattering are found in relation to the laser beam intensity and the recoil kinetic energy of atoms.     

Controlled Dicke subradiance from a large cloud of two-level systems

Dicke superradiance has been observed in many systems and is based on constructive interferences between many scattered waves. The counterpart of this enhanced dynamics, subradiance, is a destructive interference effect leading to the partial trapping of light in the system. In contrast to the robust superradiance, subradiant states are fragile, and spurious decoherence phenomena hitherto obstructed the observation of such metastable states. We show that a dilute cloud of cold atoms is an ideal system to look for subradiance in free space and study various mechanisms to control this subradiance.     

约束冷原子气体的高增益Raman散射光谱

本文研究了不同外部环境中原子气体在强激光抽运下的相干Raman散射光谱, 通过对固定无反弹原子气体(不考虑外部自由度)和自由原子气体增益光谱的理论计算, 得到了和Mollow实验结果基本一致的光谱曲线.通过与Mollow谱线结构的比较, 揭示了在微阱约束情况下原子气体存在不同于以上两种环境的高增益光谱, 该谱线直接反应了约束阱的性质, 谱线呈等间距梳状结构, 谱线尖锐分辨率高, 和传统的冷原子气体散射增益光谱的实验结果相比较有更大量级的光增益现象. 论文还分析了散射谱线增益的物理机理, 清晰地给出了约束情况下原子增益谱线的非线性Raman共振条件.     

Quantum insulating states of F=2 cold atoms in optical lattices

In this Letter we study various spin correlated insulating states of F=2 cold atoms in optical lattices. We find that the effective spin exchange interaction due to virtual hopping contains an octopole coupling between two neighboring lattice sites. Depending on scattering lengths and numbers of particles per site the ground states are either rotationally invariant dimer or trimer Mott insulators or insulating states with various spin orders. Three spin-ordered insulating phases are ferromagnetic, cyclic, and nematic Mott insulators. We estimate the phase boundaries for states with different numbers of atoms per lattice site.     

Achieving a BCS transition in an atomic Fermi gas

We consider a gas of cold fermionic atoms having two spin components with interactions characterized by their s-wave scattering length a. At positive scattering length the atoms form weakly bound bosonic molecules which can be evaporatively cooled to undergo Bose-Einstein condensation, whereas at negative scattering length BCS pairing can take place. It is shown that, by adiabatically tuning the scattering length a from positive to negative values, one may transform the molecular Bose-Einstein condensate into a highly degenerate atomic Fermi gas, with the ratio of temperature to Fermi temperature T/T(F) approximately 10(-2). The corresponding critical final value of k(F)/a/, which leads to the BCS transition, is found to be about one-half, where k(F) is the Fermi momentum.     

Correlations in a BEC collision: first-principles quantum dynamics with 150,000 atoms

The quantum dynamics of colliding Bose-Einstein condensates with 150,000 atoms are simulated directly from the Hamiltonian using the stochastic positive-P method. Two-body correlations between the scattered atoms and their velocity distribution are found for experimentally accessible parameters. Hanbury Brown-Twiss or thermal-like correlations are seen for copropagating atoms, while number correlations for counterpropagating atoms are even stronger than thermal correlations at short times. The coherent phase grains grow in size as the collision progresses with the onset of growth coinciding with the beginning of stimulated scattering. The method is versatile and usable for a range of cold atom systems.     

Coherent transport of matter waves

A transport theory for atomic matter waves in low-dimensional waveguides is outlined. The thermal fluctuation spectrum of magnetic near fields leaking out of metallic microstructures is estimated. The corresponding scattering rate for paramagnetic atoms turns out to be quite large in micrometer-sized waveguides (approx. 100 /s). Analytical estimates for the heating and decoherence of a cold atom cloud are given. We finally discuss numerical and analytical results for the scattering from static potential imperfections and the ensuing spatial diffusion process. Received: 17 July 2000 / Published online: 30 November 2000     

Scattering and Bound States of two Polaritons in an Array of Coupled Cavities

We develop an analytical approach for calculating the scattering and bound states of two polaritons in a one-dimensional (1D) infinite array of coupled cavities, with each cavity coupled to a two-level system. We find that in such a system a contact interaction between two polaritons is induced by the non-linearity of the Jaynes–Cummigs Hamiltonian. We then solve the two-polariton problem with zero center-of-mass momentum, and find 1D scattering resonances. Our results are relevant to the transport of two polaritons, and are helpful for the investigation of many-body physics in a dilute gas of polaritons in a 1D cavity array.     

Deflecting Atoms through a Submicron-Sized Slit with Near-Field Light

We report experiments on deflecting cold ⁸⁷Rb atoms by repulsive near-field light induced in a 200-nm-wide slit. The spatial profile is measured with a two-step photoionization scan. The number of outputted atoms from the slit increases by the amount of 40 ± 7.2% at a 5.1 ± 2.0° angle for the blue detuning of +1 GHz. We discuss the spatial profile involving an image of the atomic cloud by means of the scattering cross section.     

Laser probing of atomic Cooper pairs

We consider a gas of attractively interacting cold fermionic atoms which are manipulated by laser light. The laser induces a transition from an internal state with large negative scattering length to one with almost no interactions. The process can be viewed as a tunneling of atomic population between the superconducting and the normal states of the gas. It can be used to detect the BCS ground state and to measure the superconducting order parameter.