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TT: Tiefe Temperaturen

TT 10: Symposium Solid State Meets Quantum Optics

TT 10.3: Fachvortrag

Monday, March 27, 2006, 15:30–16:00, HSZ 02

Fermionic atoms in a crystal structure of light — •Tilman Esslinger — ETH Zürich, Quantum Optics, HPF D4, Hönggerberg, CH-8093-Zürich

A general introduction to the physics of ultracold atoms in optical lattices will be given. These systems provide a new avenue for designing and studying many-body quantum systems. Exposed to the crystal structure of interfering laser waves the fermionic atoms behave much like electrons in a solid. However, the properties of this synthetic material can be changed at will. The collisional interaction between fermionic atoms in different spin states can be tuned using a Feshbach resonance and the dimensionality is controlled almost like a parameter. In the experiment we have been able to directly image the Fermi surface of the atoms in the optical lattice and to study the transition of the system from a conducting state to a band insulator. Using a Feshbach resonance we have dynamically induced a coupling between the lowest energy bands and formed molecules in the optical lattice. The unique versatility of atoms in optical lattices may allow the study of a whole catalogue of phenomena linked to solid-state physics or even to mimic the physics underlying high-temperature superconductivity.