TY - JOUR
T1 - Superpositions in atomic quantum rings
AU - Kanamoto, R.
AU - Öhberg, P.
AU - Wright, E. M.
PY - 2013/7/12
Y1 - 2013/7/12
N2 - Ultracold atoms are trapped circumferentially on a ring that is pierced at its center by a flux tube arising from a light-induced gauge potential due to applied Laguerre-Gaussian fields. We show that by using optical coherent state superpositions to produce light-induced gauge potentials, we can create a situation in which the trapped atoms are simultaneously exposed to two distinct flux tubes, thereby creating superpositions in atomic quantum rings. We consider the examples of both a ring geometry and harmonic trapping, and in both cases the ground state of the quantum system is shown to be a superposition of counter-rotating states of the atom trapped on the two distinct flux tubes.
AB - Ultracold atoms are trapped circumferentially on a ring that is pierced at its center by a flux tube arising from a light-induced gauge potential due to applied Laguerre-Gaussian fields. We show that by using optical coherent state superpositions to produce light-induced gauge potentials, we can create a situation in which the trapped atoms are simultaneously exposed to two distinct flux tubes, thereby creating superpositions in atomic quantum rings. We consider the examples of both a ring geometry and harmonic trapping, and in both cases the ground state of the quantum system is shown to be a superposition of counter-rotating states of the atom trapped on the two distinct flux tubes.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.88.013618
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.88.013618
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84880627377
SN - 1050-2947
VL - 88
JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
IS - 1
M1 - 013618
ER -