UPC seminar "Quantum Gas Magnifier for accessing new regimes with ultracold atoms

Tuesday, 4^th of October 2022 at 11:30
UPC campus nord, B4-212 (aula seminari)
https://meet.google.com/whq-mkve-aja

Luca Asteria

Hamburg University

“Quantum Gas Magnifier for accessing new regimes with ultracold atoms”

Abstract

In this contribution we present results on quantum gas magnification as a microscopy tool for ultracold atoms in optical lattices. We developed a matter wave optics protocol which magnifies the atomic density distribution by almost two orders of magnitude [1], allowing to image the magnified cloud in a single-shot and with sub-lattice resolution by using standard optical imaging techniques. This approach works with 3D systems with many particles per lattice site, because it does not have the limitations of a small depth of focus and of light induced collisions. We demonstrate sub-lattice resolution by observing the dynamics within the lattice sites after a lattice potential quench, and we realize single-site addressing using magnetic resonance techniques.

We also report on a novel phenomenon that occurs in the regime of many particles per lattice site when introducing a strong force into the system; this makes the correlated tunneling of pairs of atoms the relevant dynamical process and causes the spontaneous formation of a density wave [2]. Quantum gas magnification opens the path for spatially resolved studies of new quantum many-body regimes, like e.g. 3D systems, systems with high occupation numbers, orbital lattices, and lattice geometries with smaller lattice spacing.

[1] L. Asteria et al., Nature 599, 571-575 (2021)

[2] H. P. Zahn et al., PRX 12, 021014 (2022)