Stable Bloch Oscillations of Cold Atoms with Time-Dependent Interaction

C. Gaul, R. P. A. Lima, E. Díaz, C. A. Müller, and F. Domínguez-Adame
Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 255303 – Published 26 June 2009

Abstract

We investigate Bloch oscillations of interacting cold atoms in a mean-field framework. In general, atom-atom interaction causes dephasing and destroys Bloch oscillations. Here we show that Bloch oscillations are persistent if the interaction is modulated harmonically with suitable frequency and phase. For other modulations, Bloch oscillations are rapidly damped. We explain this behavior in terms of collective coordinates whose Hamiltonian dynamics permits one to predict a whole family of stable solutions. In order to describe also the unstable cases, we carry out a stability analysis for Bogoliubov excitations. Using Floquet theory, we are able to predict the unstable modes as well as their growth rate, found to be in excellent agreement with numerical simulations.

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  • Received 1 March 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.255303

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

C. Gaul1, R. P. A. Lima2, E. Díaz2, C. A. Müller1,3, and F. Domínguez-Adame2

  • 1Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany
  • 2GISC, Departamento de Física de Materiales, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
  • 3Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel, UPMC, ENS, CNRS; 4 Place Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France

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Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 25 — 26 June 2009

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