Frankfurt 2006 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

Q: Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 29: Poster Quanteneffekte

Q 29.7: Poster

Tuesday, March 14, 2006, 16:30–18:30, Labsaal

Experimental setup for quantum tunneling control — •Ute Schnorrberger, Ramona Ettig, Elisabeth Kierig, and Markus K. Oberthaler — Kirchhoff-Institut für Physik, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 227, 69120 Heidelberg

We report on the progress of our experiment studying periodically driven quantum tunneling systems. By tuning the frequency of the periodic driving force we should be able to slow down the tunnel process. At a special frequency it should be even possible to bring it to a complete standstill. This surprising effect is called coherent destruction of tunneling [1] and has yet not been observed directly.

In our experiment we use a slow intensive beam of metastable argon atoms combined with spatially resolved single atom detection. We create a periodic potential with a double-well potential as the unit cell. This is achieved by adding the dipole potentials of two standing light waves with periodicity λ and λ/2. The initial population of a single well is accomplished utilizing a standing light wave resonant with an open transition. The driving is realized by changing the phase between the two standing light waves creating the double-well potential.

[1] F. Grossmann, T. Dittrich, P. Jung, and P. Hänggi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 516 (1991)