Darmstadt 2008 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 27: Poster Quantengase

Q 27.16: Poster

Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 16:30–19:00, Poster C2

Exact theoretical description of two ultracold atoms in a 3D optical lattice — •Sergej Grishkevich and Alejandro Saenz — AG Moderne Optik, Institut für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7,10117 Berlin, Germany

The physics of ultracold atoms has attracted a lot of interest since the experimental realization of Bose-Einstein condensation in dilute alkali atom gases. Besides the exciting physics at ultracold energies by itself, a further important progress was the positioning of the ultracold gas in an optical lattice formed with the aid of standing light waves. Atoms in lattice are important systems to study solid state physics since the optical lattice resembles in a certain sense the periodicity of a crystal potential. These systems are furthermore supposed to be of great interest for quantum information purposes.

A theoretical approach was developed that allows for a full numerical description of a pair of ultracold atoms trapped in a three-dimensional optical lattice. This approach includes the possible coupling between center-of-mass and relative motion coordinates in a configuration-interaction type of calculations. The atoms are allowed to interact by their full interaction potential that is, presently, only limited to be central. With the aid of the newly developed method deviations from the harmonic approximation are discussed. The developed method is also used to model experimental data [1].

[1] C. Ospelkaus, S. Ospelkaus, L. Humbert, P. Ernst, K. Sengstock, and K. Bongs, Phys.Rev.Lett. 97, 120402 (2006).