Gravity-induced Wannier-Stark ladder in an optical lattice
Abstract
We discuss the dynamics of ultracold atoms in an optical potential accelerated by gravity. The positions and widths of the Wannier-Stark ladder of resonances are obtained as metastable states. The metastable Wannier-Bloch states oscillate in a single band with the Bloch period. The width of the resonance gives the rate transition to the continuum.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- February 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.63.023607
- arXiv:
- arXiv:cond-mat/0009185
- Bibcode:
- 2001PhRvA..63b3607Z
- Keywords:
-
- 03.75.-b;
- 32.80.Pj;
- 42.50.Vk;
- Matter waves;
- Optical cooling of atoms;
- trapping;
- Mechanical effects of light on atoms molecules electrons and ions;
- Condensed Matter
- E-Print:
- 5 pages + 8 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. A