Abstract
The experimental realization of two-dimensional (2D) Bose gases with a tunable interaction strength is an important challenge for the study of ultracold quantum matter. Here we report on the realization of an optical accordion creating a lattice potential with a spacing that can be dynamically tuned between 11 and 2 . We show that we can load ultracold atoms into a single node of this optical lattice in the large spacing configuration and then decrease nearly adiabatically the spacing to reach a strong harmonic confinement with frequencies larger than kHz. Atoms are trapped in an additional flat-bottom in-plane potential that is shaped with a high resolution. By combining these tools we create custom-shaped uniform 2D Bose gases with tunable confinement along the transverse direction and hence with a tunable interaction strength.
- Received 23 November 2016
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.95.013632
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