Bloch oscillations along a synthetic dimension of atomic trap states
Bloch oscillations along a synthetic dimension of atomic trap states
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DOI：
10.1103/physrevresearch.5.033001
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发表时间：
2021-12
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Christopher Oliver;Aaron Smith;Thomas Easton;G. Salerno;V. Guarrera;N. Goldman;G. Barontini;H. Price
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Christopher Oliver;Aaron Smith;Thomas Easton;G. Salerno;V. Guarrera;N. Goldman;G. Barontini;H. Price
合成维度为模拟冷原子和光子学中的凝聚态物理提供了一种强大的方法，其中一组离散的自由度耦合在一起并重新解释为沿着人工空间维度的晶格位点。然而，迄今为止，原子实验的实现受到可以沿合成维度可行耦合的人工晶格位点数量的限制。在这里，我们首次通过实验实现了原子谐波陷阱态的非常长且可控的合成维度。为了实现这一点，我们通过用图案光动态调制原子云的捕获势来耦合捕获状态。通过控制驱动电位频率和捕获频率之间的失谐，我们在合成维度上实现了可控力。这会引起布洛赫振荡，其中原子周期性地上下移动数十个原子陷阱状态。我们通过实验观察了云的真实空间动力学中这种行为的关键特征，并通过数值模拟和半经典理论验证了我们的观察结果。该实验为操纵和控制高激发陷阱态提供了直观的方法，并为未来探索更高维度的拓扑物理奠定了基础。
Synthetic dimensions provide a powerful approach for simulating condensed matter physics in cold atoms and photonics, whereby a set of discrete degrees of freedom are coupled together and re-interpreted as lattice sites along an artificial spatial dimension. However, atomic experimental realisations have been limited so far by the number of artificial lattice sites that can be feasibly coupled along the synthetic dimension. Here, we experimentally realise for the first time a very long and controllable synthetic dimension of atomic harmonic trap states. To create this, we couple trap states by dynamically modulating the trapping potential of the atomic cloud with patterned light. By controlling the detuning between the frequency of the driving potential and the trapping frequency, we implement a controllable force in the synthetic dimension. This induces Bloch oscillations in which atoms move periodically up and down tens of atomic trap states. We experimentally observe the key characteristics of this behaviour in the real space dynamics of the cloud, and verify our observations with numerical simulations and semiclassical theory. This experiment provides an intuitive approach for the manipulation and control of highly-excited trap states, and sets the stage for the future exploration of topological physics in higher dimensions.