Abstract
We investigate the classical and quantum dynamics of atoms moving in a phase-modulated standing light field. In both cases the width of the momentum distribution exhibits characteristic oscillations as a function of the modulation amplitude. We argue that at the maxima of these oscillations the system is chaotic, whereas in the valleys it is almost regular. Quantum localization appears only in the chaotic regime. We connect our analysis with a recent experiment [F. Moore et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 2974 (1994)].
- Received 2 November 1994
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.74.3959
©1995 American Physical Society