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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/51452
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Manipulating atoms in an optical lattice: fractional fermion number and its optical quantum measurement |
Author: | Ruostekoski, J. Javanainen, J. Dunne, Gerald Vincent |
Citation: | Physical Review A, 2008; 77(1):013603 |
Publisher: | American Physical Society |
Issue Date: | 2008 |
ISSN: | 1050-2947 |
School/Discipline: | School of Chemistry and Physics |
Statement of Responsibility: | J. Ruostekoski, J. Javanainen and G. V. Dunne |
Abstract: | We provide a detailed analysis of our previously proposed scheme [ J. Ruostekoski, G. V. Dunne and J. Javanainen Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 180401 (2002)] to engineer the profile of the hopping amplitudes for atomic gases in a one-dimensional optical lattice so that the particle number becomes fractional. We consider a constructed system of a dilute two-species gas of fermionic atoms where the two components are coupled via a coherent electromagnetic field with a topologically nontrivial phase profile. We show both analytically and numerically how the resulting atomic Hamiltonian in a prepared dimerized optical lattice with a defect in the pattern of alternating hopping amplitudes exhibits a fractional fermion number. In particular, in the low-energy limit we demonstrate the equivalence of the atomic Hamiltonian to a relativistic Dirac Hamiltonian describing fractionalization in quantum field theory. Expanding on our earlier argument [ J. Javanainen and J. Ruostekoski Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 150404 (2003)] we show how the fractional eigenvalues of the particle number operator can be detected via light scattering. In particular, we show how scattering of far-off resonant light can convey information about the counting and spin statistics of the atoms in an optical lattice, including state-selective atom density profiles and atom number fluctuations. Optical detection could provide a truly quantum mechanical measurement of the particle number fractionalization in a dilute atomic gas. |
Keywords: | Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions; electromagnetic fields; optical lattices; quantum field theory; quantum optics |
Rights: | © 2008 The American Physical Society |
DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevA.77.013603 |
Appears in Collections: | Chemistry and Physics publications |
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