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