Vortex formation by merging of multiple trapped Bose-Einstein condensates

We report observations of vortex formation by merging and interfering multiple (87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in a confining potential. In this experiment, a single harmonic potential well is partitioned into three sections by a barrier, enabling the simultaneous formation of three independent, uncorrelated BECs. The BECs may either automatically merge together during their growth, or for high-energy barriers, the BECs can be merged together by barrier removal after their formation. Either process may instigate vortex formation in the resulting BEC, depending on the initially indeterminate relative phases of the condensates and the merging rate.     

Vortex rings and solitary waves in trapped Bose–Einstein condensates

We discuss nonlinear excitations in an atomic Bose–Einstein condensate which is trapped in a harmonic potential. We focus on axially symmetric solitary waves propagating along a cylindrical condensate. A quasi one-dimensional dark soliton is the only nonlinear mode for a condensate with weak interactions. For sufficiently strong interactions of experimental interest solitary waves are hybrids of one-dimensional dark solitons and three-dimensional vortex rings. The energy-momentum dispersion of these solitary waves exhibits characteristics similar to a mode proposed sometime ago by Lieb in a strictly 1D model, as well as some rotonlike features. We subsequently discuss interactions between solitary waves. Head-on collisions between dark solitons are elastic. Slow vortex rings collide elastically but faster ones form intermediate structures during collisions before they lose energy to the background fluid. Solitary waves and their interactions have been observed in experiments. However, some of their intriguing features still remain to be experimentally identified.     

一般幂指数中心势作用下的波包回归和部分回归

利用WKB近似和自关联函数方法,我们研究了一般幂指数中心势V(r)=γrk (-20)作用下波包的回归和部分回归.对于排斥势(γ>0, k>0), 势是一长程势,量子化能级结构中只有一个量子数,波包的回归结构和一维幂指数势的情况类似.这一结果表明能级结构相同的体系具有相同的波包回归结构.对于吸引势,能级结构中有两个量子数, 当 k取不同的值时,波包的回归结构不同.对于库仑吸引势,波包回归和部分回归出现;但是对于其它的k值, 经过一段时间后,波包出现坍塌.本文的研究对于探讨里德堡原子和分子中电子运动的经典极限提供了一个新的方法.     

一般幂指数中心势作用下的波包回归和部分回归

利用WKB近似和自关联函数方法,我们研究了一般幂指数中心势V(r)=rk (-20)作用下波包的回归和部分回归。对于排斥势(>0, k>0), 势是一长程势,量子化能级结构中只有一个量子数,波包的回归结构和一维幂指数势的情况类似。这一结果表明能级结构相同的体系具有相同的波包回归结构。 对于吸引势,能级结构中有两个量子数, 当 k取不同的值时,波包的回归结构不同。对于库仑吸引势,波包回归和部分回归出现; 但是对于其它的k值, 经过一段时间后,波包出现坍塌。本文的研究对于探讨里德堡原子和分子中电子运动的经典极限提供了一个新的方法。     

Anharmonic oscillation of ions trapped in a rf trap with light buffer gas

The effect of a light buffer gas on the anharmonic oscillation of ions trapped in a rf trap is studied. The rf resonance absorption signals showed a change of the signal height and the hysteresis with the sweep direction of the dc voltage or the probing frequency due to the anharmonicity of the pseudopotential well of a rf trap. It was found that the signals changed drastically or even disappeared depending on the pressure of buffer gas, although almost the same number of ions were trapped. These effects indicate that the sensitivity of detection of the trapped ions can be improved by appropriately choosing the pressure of the buffer gas and the sweep direction. The trapped ions could be detected until 76 h 20 min and the storage time of 1.3×10⁵ s was determined when these parameters were optimized.     

Reversible state transfer between light and a single trapped atom

We demonstrate the reversible mapping of a coherent state of light with a mean photon number (-)n approximately equal to 1.1 to and from the hyperfine states of an atom trapped within the mode of a high-finesse optical cavity. The coherence of the basic processes is verified by mapping the atomic state back onto a field state in a way that depends on the phase of the original coherent state. Our experiment represents an important step toward the realization of cavity QED-based quantum networks, wherein coherent transfer of quantum states enables the distribution of quantum information across the network.     

Fisher information,nonclassicality and quantum revivals

Wave packet revivals and fractional revivals are studied by means of a measure of nonclassicality based on the Fisher information. In particular, we show that the spreading and the regeneration of initially Gaussian wave packets in a quantum bouncer and in the infinite square-well correspond, respectively, to high and low nonclassicality values. This result is in accordance with the physical expectations that at a quantum revival wave packets almost recover their initial shape and the classical motion revives temporarily afterward.     

Classical aspects of Raman excited rotational revivals

The rotational coherence of Raman excited quantum wavepackets is shown to correspond to angular realignment of a classical ensemble of quantized rotors, a picture that provides an intuitive explanation for the existence and chirp shapes of four distinct partial revivals in the optical refractive index, at fractions of the full recurrence period. Evidence from the chirp shapes, of classical orientational alignment by the laser pulse (in an angle-action sense) is supported by an approximate analytically soluble quantum mechanical model.     

Dynamic quantum revivals in phase space

We explain quantum revivals and fractional revivals in phase space of the Fermi?CUlam accelerator. We derive analytic expressions of the Wigner distribution function for the driven system describing quantum interferences in position and momentum space. We assume that the fractional revival times are nonrecurrent under certain conditions and display randomness in the occurrence of the phenomenon at these times.     

A note on perfect revivals in finite waveguide arrays

We propose a simple and algorithmic method for designing finite waveguide arrays capable of diffractionless transmission of arbitrary discrete beams by virtue of perfect revivals. Our approach utilises an inverse matrix eigenvalue theorem published by Hochstadt in 1974, which states that the Jacobi matrix, describing the system's discrete evolution equations, is uniquely determined by its eigenvalues and the eigenvalues of its largest leading principal submatrix, as long as the two sets of eigenvalues interlace. It is further shown that, by arranging the two sets of eigenvalues symmetrically with respect to zero, the resulting Jacobi matrix has zero diagonal elements. Therefore, arrays with arbitrary revival lengths can be obtained by engineering only the inter-waveguide couplings.     

Extra revivals in cooperative atomic inversion in a cavity

We investigate collective and quantum properties of the atomic inversion of A two-level atoms interacting with a strong quantum field of a single-mode loss-free cavity. The dynamics consists of A fast scales of Rabi oscillations, each featuring collapses and revivals. The first revival of the second quasiharmonic scale can be observed with large cooperativity, demonstrating altogether the existence of the extra sidebands of the resonance fluorescence spectrum. There are also A slow cooperative scales which form the slow envelope of the inversion, which for large cooperativity can split the revivals. For the case of half excited initial atomic state the energy exchange between the field and atomic system is strongly suppressed, and there is an average energy loss by the atoms.     

Quantum computing with trapped ions

Quantum computers hold the promise of solving certain computational tasks much more efficiently than classical computers. We review recent experimental advances towards a quantum computer with trapped ions. In particular, various implementations of qubits, quantum gates and some key experiments are discussed. Furthermore, we review some implementations of quantum algorithms such as a deterministic teleportation of quantum information and an error correction scheme.     

Finite-difference time-domain analysis of refractive index grating on planar light waveguide circuit with optically trapped gold particles

The super-resolution capability of scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) with a gold particle is studied by the two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (2D FDTD) method. We obtain SNOM signals by integrating the far field within the numerical aperture of an objective lens for a refractive index grating by scanning optically trapped gold particles with different diameters illuminated by focused laser light at the wavelength of 515 nm. The signal is strong at a high refractive index of the grating and exhibits similar behavior to that obtained in the experiment with the grating fabricated on a planar light waveguide circuit with a period of 1060 nm. Furthermore, the signal modulation increases as the gold particle diameter decreases and reaches 0.82 at a diameter of 50 nm.     

Pattern formation with trapped ions

Ion traps are a versatile tool to study nonequilibrium statistical physics, due to the tunability of dissipation and nonlinearity. We propose an experiment with a chain of ions, where dissipation is provided by laser heating and cooling, while nonlinearity is provided by trap anharmonicity and beam shaping. The dynamics are governed by an equation similar to the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation, except that the reactive nature of the coupling leads to qualitatively different behavior. The system has the unusual feature of being both oscillatory and excitable at the same time. The patterns are observable for realistic experimental parameters despite noise from spontaneous emission. Our scheme also allows controllable experiments with noise and quenched disorder.     

Application of electro-optically generated light fields for Raman spectroscopy of trapped cesium atoms

We present an apparatus for generating a multi-frequency laser field to coherently couple the F=3 and F=4 ground state of trapped cesium atoms through Raman transitions. We use a single frequency diode laser and generate sidebands by means of a 9.2 GHz electro-optic modulator. With an interferometer, we separated the sidebands and carrier, sending them to the trapped atoms in opposite directions. The Rabi oscillation of the populations of F=3 and F=4 is monitored. We find that due to destructive quantum interference of two simultaneous Raman transitions the expected Rabi frequency is reduced by a factor that is in quantitative agreement with theoretical expectations. It is demonstrated how this interference can be suppressed experimentally. Besides, we demonstrate the application of the setup for Raman spectroscopy of Zeeman sublevels and of the vibrational states of a small number of trapped atoms. PACS 32.80.Pj; 32.80.Qk; 42.50.Ct     

Observation of dark state polariton collapses and revivals

By time-dependent variation of a control field, both coherent and single-photon states of light are stored in, and retrieved from, a cold atomic gas. The efficiency of retrieval is studied as a function of the storage time in an applied magnetic field. A series of collapses and revivals is observed, in very good agreement with theoretical predictions. The observations are interpreted in terms of the time evolution of the collective excitation of atomic spin wave and light wave, known as the dark-state polariton.     

Quantum revivals,geometric phases and circle map recurrences

Revivals of the coherent states of a deformed, adiabatically and cyclically varying oscillator Hamiltonian are examined. The revival time distribution is exactly that of Poincaré recurrences for a rotation map: only three distinct revival times can occur, with specified weights. A link is thus established between quantum revivals and recurrences in a coarse-grained discrete-time dynamical system.     

Coherent control of rotational wave-packet dynamics via fractional revivals

We show (i) how the evolution of a wave packet created from an initial thermal ensemble can be controlled by manipulating interferences during the wave packet's fractional revivals and (ii) how the wave-packet evolution can be mapped onto the dynamics of a few-state system, where the number of states is determined by the amount of information one wants to track about the wave packet in the phase space. We illustrate our approach by (i) switching off and on field-free molecular axis alignment induced by a strong laser pulse and (ii) converting alignment into field-free orientation, starting with rotationally cold or hot systems.