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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Cooling an Optically Trapped Ultracold Fermi Gas by Periodical Driving
Published on: March 30, 2017
Coherent delocalization of atomic wave packets in driven lattice potentials.
V V Ivanov1, A Alberti, M Schioppo
1Dipartimento di Fisica and LENS-Università di Firenze, CNR-INFM, INFN-Sezione di Firenze, via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
Atomic wave packets in optical lattices show delocalization dynamics via intraband transitions. Researchers observed resonances linked to Bloch frequency, enabling precise gravity measurements.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Atomic physics
- Condensed matter physics
Background:
- Atomic wave packets in optical lattices exhibit complex dynamics.
- Intraband transitions among Wannier-Stark levels are crucial for understanding quantum phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To observe and characterize intraband transitions in phase-modulated optical lattices.
- To investigate the relationship between modulation frequency and resonance phenomena.
- To explore the potential for precise measurement of fundamental constants.
Main Methods:
- Loading atomic wave packets into a phase-modulated vertical optical-lattice potential.
- Monitoring the in situ wave-packet extent to observe delocalization dynamics.
- Varying modulation frequency to identify resonances at multiples of the Bloch frequency.
Main Results:
- Coherent delocalization dynamics of atomic wave packets were observed.
- Resonances were found at integer multiples of the Bloch frequency.
- Resonances exhibited Fourier-limited width for interrogation times up to 2 seconds.
Conclusions:
- Intraband transitions in optical lattices can be effectively monitored.
- The observed resonances provide a new method for precise gravity acceleration determination.
- This technique offers potential for high-resolution measurements in fundamental physics.
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