Exploring classically chaotic potentials with a matter wave quantum probe

We study an experimental setup in which a quantum probe, provided by a quasimonomode guided atom laser, interacts with a static localized attractive potential whose characteristic parameters are tunable. In this system, classical mechanics predicts a transition from regular to chaotic behavior as a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2011-12, Vol.107 (25), p.254104-254104, Article 254104
Main Authors: Gattobigio, G L, Couvert, A, Georgeot, B, Guéry-Odelin, D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CHAOS THEORY
Chaotic Dynamics
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
Condensed Matter
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
MATHEMATICAL METHODS AND COMPUTING
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICS
Nonlinear Sciences
Physics
POTENTIALS
Quantum Gases
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SCATTERING
SIMULATION
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Summary:We study an experimental setup in which a quantum probe, provided by a quasimonomode guided atom laser, interacts with a static localized attractive potential whose characteristic parameters are tunable. In this system, classical mechanics predicts a transition from regular to chaotic behavior as a result of the coupling between the different degrees of freedom. Our experimental results display a clear signature of this transition. On the basis of extensive numerical simulations, we discuss the quantum versus classical physics predictions in this context. This system opens new possibilities for investigating quantum scattering, provides a new testing ground for classical and quantum chaos, and enables us to revisit the quantum-classical correspondence.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.254104