Optical lattice with spin-dependent sub-wavelength barriers

Abstract

We analyze a tripod atom light coupling scheme characterized by two dark states playing the role of quasi-spin states. It is demonstrated that by properly configuring the coupling laser fields, one can create a lattice with spin-dependent sub-wavelength barriers. This allows to flexibly alter the atomic motion ranging from atomic dynamics in the effective brick-wall type lattice to free motion of atoms in one dark state and a tight binding lattice with a twice smaller periodicity for atoms in the other dark state. Between the two regimes, the spectrum undergoes significant changes controlled by the laser fields. The tripod lattice can be produced using current experimental techniques. The use of the tripod scheme to create a lattice of degenerate dark states opens new possibilities for spin ordering and symmetry breaking.

Submission to SciPost

References in corpus (16)

• Array Programming with NumPy
• Many-Body Physics with Ultracold Gases
• Ultracold atomic gases in optical lattices: mimicking condensed matter physics and beyond
• Non-Abelian gauge potentials for ultra-cold atoms with degenerate dark states
• Spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates
• Coherent Quantum Optical Control with Subwavelength Resolution
• Non-equilibrium spin dynamics in a trapped Fermi gas with effective spin-orbit interaction
• Quasi-relativistic behavior of cold atoms in light fields
• Nano-Scale `Dark State' Optical Potentials for Cold Atoms
• Efficient ground-state cooling of large trapped-ion chains with an EIT tripod scheme
• Cold atom dynamics in non-Abelian gauge fields
• Non-Abelian magnetic monopole in a Bose-Einstein condensate
• Double and negative reflection of cold atoms in non-Abelian gauge potentials
• Subwavelength-width optical tunnel junctions for ultracold atoms
• Formation of solitons in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates by dark-state adiabatic passage
• Optical lattice for tripod-like atomic level structure