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Coherent transport of neutral atoms in spin-dependent optical lattice potentials

Olaf Mandel·Markus Greiner·Artur Widera·Tim Rom·Theodor W. Haensch·Immanuel Bloch
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Abstract

We demonstrate the controlled coherent transport and splitting of atomic wave packets in spin-dependent optical lattice potentials. Such experiments open intriguing possibilities for quantum state engineering of many body states. After first preparing localized atomic wave functions in an optical lattice through a Mott insulating phase, we place each atom in a superposition of two internal spin states. Then state selective optical potentials are used to split the wave function of a single atom and transport the corresponding wave packets in two opposite directions. Coherence between the wave packets of an atom delocalized over up to 7 lattice sites is demonstrated.

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Olaf Mandel, Markus Greiner, Artur Widera, Tim Rom, Theodor W. Haensch, Immanuel Bloch. 2003-01-11. Coherent transport of neutral atoms in spin-dependent optical lattice potentials. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.91.010407

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