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Published on: December 4, 2017
Multimode dynamics and emergence of a characteristic length scale in a one-dimensional quantum system
M Kuhnert1, R Geiger, T Langen
1Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Atominstitut, TU Wien, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of a coherently split one-dimensional Bose gas by measuring the full probability distribution functions of matter-wave interference. Observing the system on different length scales allows us to probe the dynamics of excitations on different energy scales, revealing two distinct length-scale-dependent regimes of relaxation. We measure the crossover length scale separating these two regimes and identify it with the prethermalized phase-correlation length of the system. Our approach enables a direct observation of the multimode dynamics characterizing one-dimensional quantum systems.
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