Interacting two-dimensional quantum gases in optical traps

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Martin Weitz
• Subject Area: Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2005 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5454387

The ability to create and manipulate atomic quantum gases in far detuned dipole potentials offers novel possibilities for the study of atomic interactions and collective quantum phenomena. In these traps, two-dimensional quantum gases can be realized and manipulated far from surfaces. In this way, novel prospects arise for the generation of quantum gases in fractional quantum Hall multiparticle states with rapidly rotating optical traps to provide a bosonic analogue of two-dimensional electron gases in strong magnetic fields. In a first step, we plan to observe quasicondensation in an array of two-dimensional optical traps. By rotating the atomic microclouds with a novel modulation technique, a fractional quantum-Hall type regime can be reached. We plan to create highly correlated quantum-Hall states in the two-dimensional traps, as the result of an effective interatomic interaction. Evidence for this correlated multiparticle regime can be obtained from the observation of collapse and revival of the interference pattern of the rotated microclouds. A perspective of this work is to detect fractional statistics. We expect that quantum gases in optical traps will be a powerful tool in the exploration of the rich physics of two-dimensional quantum systems, where novel correlated multiparticle states can be the system ground state.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1116: Interactions in ultracold and molecular gases
• Participating Person: Dr. Giovanni Cennini