Observing {\it Zitterbewegung} in Ultracold Atoms

ORAL

Abstract

We propose an optical lattice scheme which would permit the experimental observation of {\it Zitterbewegung} (ZB) with ultracold, neutral atoms. A four-level ``tripod" variant of the usual setup for stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) has been proposed for generating non-Abelian gauge fields. [1] Dirac-like Hamiltonians, which exhibit ZB, are simple examples of such non-Abelian gauge fields; we show how a variety of them can arise, and how ZB can be observed, in a tripod system. We predict that the ZB should occur at experimentally accessible frequencies and amplitudes. \newline [1] J. Ruseckas, G. Juzeli{\=u}nas, P. \"{O}hberg, M. Fleischhauer, {\it Physical Review Letters} {\bf 95}, 010404 (2005).

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Authors

  • J. Y. Vaishnav

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology
    • Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD 20899
    • Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Charles W. Clark

    • NIST, Gaithersburg, and JQI, UMD
    • Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland and National Institute of Standards and Technology
    • Joint Quantum Institute, NIST and the University of Maryland
    • Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD 20899
    • Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology