The coexistence of superfluid and Mott insulator, due to the quadratic confinement potential in current optical lattice experiments, makes the accurate detection of the superfluid-Mott transition difficult. Studying alternative trapping potentials which are experimentally realizable and have a flatter center, we find that the transition can be better resolved, but at the cost of a more difficult tuning of the particle filling. When mapping out the phase diagram using local probes and the local density approximation we find that the smoother gradient of the parabolic trap is advantageous.
The evolution of on-site number fluctuations of ultracold atoms in optical lattices is experimentally investigated by monitoring the suppression of spin-changing collisions across the superfluid-Mott insulator transition. For low atom numbers, corresponding to an average filling factor close to unity, large on-site number fluctuations are necessary for spin-changing collisions to occur. The continuous suppression of spin-changing collisions is thus a direct evidence for the emergence of number-squeezed states. In the Mott insulator regime, we find that spin-changing collisions are suppressed u…
The use of Feshbach resonances for tuning the interparticle interaction in ultracold Fermi gases has led to remarkable developments, in particular to the creation and Bose-Einstein condensation of weakly bound diatomic molecules of fermionic atoms. These are the largest diatomic molecules obtained so far, with a size of the order of thousands of angstroms. They represent novel composite bosons, which exhibit features of Fermi statistics at short intermolecular distances. Being highly excited, these molecules are remarkably stable with respect to collisional relaxation, which is a consequence o…
The transition from a superfluid to a Mott insulator (MI) phase has been observed in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of ytterbium (Yb) atoms in an optical lattice. An all-optically produced BEC of 174Yb atoms was loaded into three-dimensional optical lattices produced by a 532 nm laser beam. The interference pattern was measured after releasing the quantum gas from the trapping potential. As increasing the optical lattice depth, we observed the disappearance of the interference patterns, which is a signature of entering the MI regime. This result is an important step into studies by using a c…
This article reviews recent experimental and theoretical progress on many-body phenomena in dilute, ultracold gases. Its focus are effects beyond standard weak-coupling descriptions, like the Mott-Hubbard-transition in optical lattices, strongly interacting gases in one and two dimensions or lowest Landau level physics in quasi two-dimensional gases in fast rotation. Strong correlations in fermionic gases are discussed in optical lattices or near Feshbach resonances in the BCS-BEC crossover.
Feshbach resonances are the essential tool to control the interaction between atoms in ultracold quantum gases. They have found numerous experimental applications, opening up the way to important breakthroughs. This Review broadly covers the phenomenon of Feshbach resonances in ultracold gases and their main applications. This includes the theoretical background and models for the description of Feshbach resonances, the experimental methods to find and characterize the resonances, a discussion of the main properties of resonances in various atomic species and mixed atomic species systems, and …
A review of recent BEC-BCS crossover experiments in ultracold Fermi gases is given with particular emphasis on the work performed with lithium-6 at the University of Innsbruck.
We discuss the concept of Cooper pair in the context of recent experimental studies of radio-frequency excitations in ultracold atomic gases. We argue that the threshold energy determines the size of the Cooper pair emergent from the exact solution of the reduced BCS problem, and elaborate on the physical distinction between bosonic and fermionic Cooper pairs.
An ultracold gas is considered, loaded into a lattice, each site of which is formed by a double-well potential. Initial conditions, after the loading, correspond to a nonequilibrium state. The nonlinear dynamics of the system, starting with a nonequilibrium state, is analysed in the local-field approximation. The importance of taking into account attenuation, caused by particle collisions, is emphasized. The presence of this attenuation dramatically influences the system dynamics.
We study the thermodynamics of ultracold Bose atoms in optical lattices by numerically diagonalizing the mean-field Hamiltonian of the Bose-Hubbard model. This method well describes the behavior of long-range correlations and therefore is valid deep in the superfluid phase. For the homogeneous Bose-Hubbard model, we draw the finite-temperature phase diagram and calculate the superfluid density at unity filling. We evaluate the finite-temperature effects in a recent experiment probing number fluctuation [Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{96}, 090401 (2006)], and find that our finite-temperature curves g…
We study the low temperature physics of an ultracold atomic gas in the potential formed inside a pumped optical resonator. Here, the height of the cavity potential, and hence the quantum state of the gas, depends not only on the pump parameters, but also on the atomic density through a dynamical a.c.-Stark shift of the cavity resonance. We derive the Bose-Hubbard model in one dimension, and use the strong coupling expansion to determine the parameter regime in which the system is in the Mott-insulator state. We predict the existence of overlapping, competing Mott states, and bistable behavior …
We discuss a 1+1 dimensional Galilean invariant model recently introduced in connection with ultracold quantum gases. After showing its relation to a nonrelativistic 2+1 Chern-Simons matter system, we identify the generators of the supersymmetry and its relation with the existence of self-dual equations
Ultracold confined one-dimensional atomic gases are predicted to support dark soliton solutions arising from a nonlinear Schrödinger equation of suitable nonlinearity. In weakly-interacting (high density) gases, the nonlinearity is cubic, whereas an approximate model for describing the behaviour of strongly - interacting (low density) gases is one characterized by a quintic nonlinearity. We use an approximate analytical expression for the form of the nonlinearity in the intermediate regimes to show that, near the crossover between the two different regimes, the soliton is predicted and numeric…
In this work, we use inelastic scattering of light to study the response of inhomogeneous Mott-insulator gases to external excitations. The experimental setup and procedure to probe the atomic Mott states are presented in detail. We discuss the link between the energy absorbed by the gases and accessible experimental parameters as well as the linearity of the response to the scattering of light. We investigate the excitations of the system in multiple energy bands and a band-mapping technique allows us to identify band and momentum of the excited atoms. In addition the momentum distribution in…
We analyse the phase diagram of ultra-cold bosons in a one-dimensional superlattice potential with disorder using the time evolving block decimation algorithm for infinite sized systems (iTEBD). For degenerate potential energies within the unit cell of the superlattice loophole-shaped insulating phases with non-integer filling emerge with a particle-hole gap proportional to the boson hopping. Adding a small amount of disorder destroys this gap. For not too large disorder the loophole Mott regions detach from the axis of vanishing hopping giving rise to insulating islands. Thus the system shows…
We analyze the Mott-insulator phases of dipolar bosonic gases placed in neighboring but unconnected 1D traps. Whereas for short-range interactions the 1D systems are independent, the non-local dipole-dipole interaction induces a direct Mott-insulator to pair-superfluid transition which significantly modifies the boundaries of the lowest Mott-insulator phases. The lowest boundary of the lowest Mott regions becomes progressively constant as a function of the hopping rate, eventually inverting its slope, leading to a re-entrant configuration which is retained in 2D. We discuss the consequences of…
We apply the truncated Wigner method to the process of three-body recombination in ultracold Bose gases. We find that within the validity regime of the Wigner truncation for two-body scattering, three-body recombination can be treated using a set of coupled stochastic differential equations that include diffusion terms, and can be simulated using known numerical methods. As an example we investigate the behaviour of a simple homogeneous Bose gas.
We calculate level densities and pairing gaps for an ultracold dilute gas of fermionic atoms in harmonic traps under the influence of mean field and anharmonic quartic trap potentials. Super-shell structures, which were found in Hartree-Fock calculations, are calculated analytically within periodic orbit theory as well as from WKB calculations. For attractive interactions, the underlying level densities are crucial for pairing and super-shell structures in gaps are predicted.
Ultracold dipolar Fermi gases represent relatively unexplored, strongly correlated systems arising from long-range and anisotropic interactions. We demonstrate the possibility of a spontaneous symmetry breaking biaxial phase in these systems, which may be realized in, e.g., gases of ultracold polar molecules or strongly magnetic atoms. This biaxial nematic phase is manifest in a spontaneous distortion of the Fermi surface perpendicular to the axis of polarization. We describe these dipolar interaction induced phases using Landau Fermi liquid theory.
We report the Bragg spectroscopy of interacting one-dimensional Bose gases loaded in optical lattices across the superfluid to Mott-insulator phase transition. Elementary excitations are created with a non-zero momentum and the response of the correlated 1D gases is in the linear regime. The complexity of the strongly correlated quantum phases is directly displayed in the spectra which exhibit novel features. This work paves the way for a precise characterization of the state of correlated atomic phases in optical lattices.
We review recent developments in the physics of ultracold atomic and molecular gases in optical lattices. Such systems are nearly perfect realisations of various kinds of Hubbard models, and as such may very well serve to mimic condensed matter phenomena. We show how these systems may be employed as quantum simulators to answer some challenging open questions of condensed matter, and even high energy physics. After a short presentation of the models and the methods of treatment of such systems, we discuss in detail, which challenges of condensed matter physics can be addressed with (i) disorde…
Spin noise spectroscopy with a single laser beam is demonstrated theoretically to provide a direct probe of the spatial correlations of cold fermionic gases. We show how the generic many-body phenomena of anti-bunching, pairing, antiferromagnetic, and algebraic spin liquid correlations can be revealed by measuring the spin noise as a function of laser width, temperature, and frequency.
We propose an experimentally viable setup for the realization of one-dimensional ultracold atom gases in a nanoscale magnetic waveguide formed by two doubly-clamped suspended carbon nanotubes. All common decoherence and atom loss mechanisms are shown to be small. We discuss general consequences of a non-parabolic confinement potential, in particular novel two-body shape resonances, which could be observed in this trap.
We present a detailed analysis of the dynamical response of ultra-cold bosonic atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice subjected to a periodic modulation of the lattice depth. Following the experimental realization by Stoferle et al [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 130403 (2004)] we study the excitation spectrum of the system as revealed by the response of the total energy as a function of the modulation frequency Omega. By using the Time Evolving Block Decimation algorithm, we are able to simulate one-dimensional systems comparable in size to those in the experiment, with harmonic trapping and across…
We investigate magnetic properties of Mott-insulating phases of ultracold Bose and Fermi spinor gases in optical lattices. We consider in particular the F=2 Bose gas, and the F=3/2 and F=5/2 Fermi gases. We derive effective spin Hamiltonians for one and two atoms per site and discuss the possibilities of manipulating the magnetic properties of the system using optical Feshbach resonances. We discuss low temperature quantum phases of a 87Rb gas in the F=2 hyperfine state, as well as possible realizations of high spin Fermi gases with either 6Li or 132Cs atoms in the F=3/2 state, and with 173Yb …
We obtain by dimensional reduction a $(1+1)$ supersymmetric system introduced in the description of ultracold quantum gases. The correct supercharges are identified and their algebra is constructed. Finally novel static self-dual solutions emerge, satisfying a Liouville type differential equation.
We study an ultracold Bose gas in the presence of 1D disorder for repulsive inter-atomic interactions varying from zero to the Thomas-Fermi regime. We show that for weak interactions the Bose gas populates a finite number of localized single-particle Lifshits states, while for strong interactions a delocalized disordered Bose-Einstein condensate is formed. We discuss the schematic quantum-state diagram and derive the equations of state for various regimes.
We investigate the harmonically trapped 2D fermionic systems with a effective spin-orbit coupling and intrinsic s-wave superfluidity under the local density approximation, and find that there is a critical value for Zeeman field. When the Zeeman field larger than the critical value, the topological superfluid phases emerge and coexist with the normal superfluid phase, topological phase separation, in the trapped region. Otherwise, the superfluid phase is topologically trivial.
Starting from one-dimensional Mott Insulators, we use a bichromatic optical lattice to add controlled disorder to an ideal optical crystal where bosonic atoms are pinned by repulsive interactions. Increasing disorder, we observe a broadening of the Mott Insulator resonances and the transition to an insulating state with a flat density of excitations, suggesting the formation of a Bose-Glass.
Dynamical Schrödinger cats can be formed when a one-dimensional attractive Bose-gas cloud is scattered off a potential barrier. Once formed, these objects are stable in time. The phenomenon and its mechanism -- transformation of kinetic energy to internal energy of the scattered atomic cloud -- are obtained by solving the time-dependent many-boson Schrödinger equation. Implications are discussed.
Starting from a set of coupled Boltzmann equations, we investigate the thermalization of a two-species cold atomic gas confined either in a box or in an isotropic harmonic trap. We show that the thermalization times, by contrast to the collision rate, depend on the interferences between scattering partial waves. The dynamics of thermalization in a harmonic trap is also strongly dependent upon the ratio between the collision rate and the trap frequencies.
The relative importance of density and phase fluctuations in ultracold one dimensional atomic Bose gases is investigated. By defining appropriate characteristic temperatures for their respective onset, a broad experimental regime is found, where density fluctuations set in at a lower temperature than phase fluctuations. This is in stark contrast to the usual experimental regime explored up to now, in which phase fluctuations are largely decoupled from density fluctuations, a regime also recovered in this work as a limiting case. Observation of the novel regime of dominant density fluctuations …
We propose a method for the detection of ground state quantum phases of spinor gases through a series of two quantum nondemolition measurements performed by sending off-resonant, polarized light pulses through the gas. Signatures of various mean-field as well as strongly-correlated phases of F=1 and F=2 spinor gases obtained by detecting quantum fluctuations and mean values of polarization of transmitted light are identified.
We have studied 2-body correlations of atoms in an expanding cloud above and below the Bose-Einstein condensation threshold. The observed correlation function for a thermal cloud shows a bunching behavior, while the correlation is flat for a coherent sample. These quantum correlations are the atomic analogue of the Hanbury Brown Twiss effect. We observe the effect in three dimensions and study its dependence on cloud size.
We study the dynamics of ultracold atoms trapped in optical double-well potentials in presence of noise generated by an external environment. When prepared in a Fock number state, the system shows phase coherence in the averaged density profile obtained using standard absorption image techniques, that disappears in absence of noise. This effect indicates that also in many-body systems an external environment may enhance quantum coherence, instead of destroying it.
A mechanism for the formation of a new type of stationary state with macroscopical number of phonons in condensed atomic gases is proposed. This mechanism is based on generating longitudinal phonons as a result of parametric resonance caused by a permanent modulation of the transverse trap frequency in an elongated trap. The phonon-phonon interaction predetermines the self-consistent evolution which is completed with macroscopic population of one from all levels within the energy interval of parametric amplification. This level proves to be shifted to the edge of this interval. All other level…
We calculate the time evolution of a far-from-equilibrium initial state of a non-relativistic ultracold Bose gas in one spatial dimension. The non-perturbative approximation scheme is based on a systematic expansion of the two-particle irreducible effective action in powers of the inverse number of field components. This yields dynamic equations which contain direct scattering, memory and off-shell effects that are not captured in mean-field theory.
The standard experimental techniques usually adopted in the study of the behaviour of ultracold atoms in optical lattices involve extracting the atom density profile from absorption images of the atomic sample after trap release. Quantum mechanically this procedure is described by a generalized measure (POVM); interference patterns found in absorption images suggest a generalized measure based on fixed-phase, coherent-like states. We show that this leads to an average atomic density which differs from the usually adopted one, obtained as the expectation value of the atom density operator in th…
Ultracold alkali atoms provide experimentally accessible model systems for probing quantum states that manifest themselves at the macroscopic scale. Recent experimental realizations of superfluidity in dilute gases of ultracold fermionic (half-integer spin) atoms offer exciting opportunities to directly test theoretical models of related many-body fermion systems that are inaccessible to experimental manipulation, such as neutron stars and quark-gluon plasmas. However, the microscopic interactions between fermions are potentially quite complex, and experiments in ultracold gases to date cannot…
We study the dynamics of a ultra-cold boson gas in a lattice submitted to a constant force. We track the route of the system towards chaos created by the many-body-induced nonlinearity and show that relevant information can be extracted from an experimentally accessible quantity, the gas mean position. The threshold nonlinearity for the appearance of chaotic behavior is deduced from KAM arguments and agrees with the value obtained by calculating the associated Lyapunov exponent.
