Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 47: Quanteninformation: Atome und Ionen 2
Q 47.3: Talk
Thursday, March 15, 2012, 14:30–14:45, V7.02
Topological defects in ion Coulomb crystals — •Manuel Mielenz1,2, Günther Leschhorn1,2, Christian Schneider1,2, Thomas Huber1,2, Martin Enderlein1,2, Miriam Bujak1,2, Magnus Albert1,2, and Tobias Schätz1,2 — 1Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg — 2MPI für Quantenoptik
Solitons are localized and topologically protected structures in a non-linear system [1]. Classical Solitions have been studied, e.g. in waveguides [2,3]. In the context of the Frenkel-Kontorova (FK) model solitonic solutions are predicted in chains of coupled particles in a local nonlinear potential. These configurations, referred to as “Kinks”, are theoretically predicted in two-dimensional ion crystals [1]. Their vibrational spectrum exhibits characteristic modes seperated by a gap from the quasi-continuous phonon band of an unperturbed crystal.
We will report on the first experimental realization of “Kinks” in ion crystals confined in a linear Paul trap [4]. Various types of topological defects have been observed and we will present systematic studies of their properties, along with a comparison to theoretical simulations. Such well controlled ensembles of ions are an interesting model system to investigate the quantum mechanical properties of solitons and might open up for applications in quantum simulation and information [1].
[1] H. Landa et al., PRL 104, 043004 (2010)
[2] H. .S. Eisenberg et al., PRL 81, 33833386 (1998)
[3] J. W. Fleischer et al., Nature 422, 6928 (2003)
[4] Ch. Schneider et al., arXiv:1106.2597v1, to be published in Rep. Prog. Phys 2011