Observation of stochastic resonance in directed propagation of cold atoms

Abstract

Randomly diffusing atoms confined in a dissipative optical lattice are illuminated by a weak probe of light. The probe transmission spectrum reveals directed atomic propagation that occurs perpendicular to the direction of probe beam propagation. Resonant enhancement of this directed propagation is observed as we vary the random photon scattering rate. We experimentally characterize this stochastic resonance as a function of probe intensity and lattice well depth. A simple model reveals how the probe-excited atomic density waves and optical pumping rates conspire to create directed atomic propagation within a randomly diffusing sample.

9 pages, 7 figures

References in corpus (4)

• Artificial Brownian motors: Controlling transport on the nanoscale
• Quantum-Coherent Nanoscience
• Stochastic resonance in periodic potentials: realization in a dissipative optical lattice
• Rayleigh Scattering and Atomic Dynamics in Dissipative Optical Lattices