Accessing new optical-lattice regimes with a matter-wave microscope

Imaging is central to gaining microscopic insight into physical systems, and new microscopy methods have always led to the discovery of new phenomena. Ultracold atoms in optical lattices provide a quantum simulation platform, featuring a variety of advanced detection tools including direct optical imaging while pinning the atoms in the lattice. However, this approach suffers from the diffraction limit, high optical density and small depth of focus, limiting it to 2D systems.

In this talk, I will present our new imaging approach of a quantum gas magnifier, where matter-wave optics magnifies the density distribution before optical imaging, allowing 2D sub-lattice-spacing resolution in 3D systems [1]. I will discuss the observation of nanoscale dynamics, precision thermometry and local magnetic-resonance addressing as well as a surprising density-wave formation with spontaneous symmetry breaking in a strongly tilted optical lattice with large occupation numbers [2]. The method opens the path for spatially resolved studies of new quantum many-body regimes including sub-wavelength lattices or single-atom-resolved imaging of exotic atomic species.

[1] L. Asteria et al., Nature 599, 571 (2021). [2] H. P. Zahn et al., arXiv:2108.11917 (2021).