| Authors: | S. Al-Assam, R. A. Williams, and C. J. Foot |
| Title: | Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice with dynamically variable periodicity |
| Abstract: | The use of a dynamic 'accordion' lattice with ultracold atoms is demonstrated. Ultracold atoms of 87Rb are trapped in a two-dimensional optical lattice, and the spacing of the lattice is then increased in both directions from 2.2 to 5.5 microns. Atoms remain bound for expansion times as short as a few milliseconds, and the experimentally measured minimum ramp time is found to agree well with numerical calculations. This technique allows an experiment such as quantum simulations to be performed with a lattice spacing smaller than the resolution limit of the imaging system, while allowing imaging of the atoms at individual lattice sites by subsequent expansion of the optical lattice. |
| Date: | created: 25-09-2010 |
© 2003-2008 Dieter Jaksch, created 19-05-2013