Nonlinear matter wave optics: Experiments on nonlinear quantum dynamics in double-well and periodic potentials

玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体是研究非线性波动力学的模型系统。这种新的实验系统允许获得新的洞察已经从非线性光子光学已知的现象，因为在原子光学中的相互作用的物质波的制备和检测的精度是非常先进的。由于原子间的相互作用强度比光子的克尔非线性强得多，新的物理也被期待。因此，非线性对于少数原子已经变得很重要，这允许产生非线性量子态。我们的团队拥有可靠生产约1000个原子的小型凝聚体的专业知识，这是研究一维非线性物理的关键先决条件。在这个建议中，我们提出了扩展我们的BEC机的想法，以制备更稳定的双阱和多阱势在弱连接制度。另一个主要的改进将是非常接近冷凝物的高精度透镜的实现。这将用于一方面实现相位压印技术与激光束的规模小于个人威尔斯的设计潜力，并结合拉曼转换到内部状态准备在类似的规模。另一方面，这为凝析油开辟了新的成像分辨率，允许直接观察每个单独井中正在进行的物理过程。

Bose Einstein condensates are model systems for the investigation of nonlinear wave dynamics. This new experimental system allows to gain new insight into phenomena already known from nonlinear photon optics, since the precision of preparation and detection of interacting matter waves in atom optics is very advanced. Also new physics is anticipated since the interaction strength between atoms is much stronger than the Kerr nonlinearity for photons. Thus nonlinearities become already important for few atoms, which allows the generation of nonlinear quantum states. Our group has the expertise in the reliable production of small condensates with approximately 1000 atoms, which is the crucial prerequisite to investigate onedimensional nonlinear physics. In this proposal we put forward the idea to extend our BEC machine in order to prepare more stable double-well and manywell potentials in the weak link regime. Another major improvement will be the implementation of a high precision lens very close to the condensate. This will be used on the one hand to realize phaseimprinting techniques with laser beams on a scale smaller than individual wells of the designed potentials and combined with Raman-transitions to internal state preparation on a similar scale. On the other hand this opens up a new imaging resolution for condensates allowing for a direct observation of the ongoing physics in each individual well.