On the Diffusion of Atoms in an Optical Lattice

Laurent Sanchez-Palencia, G. Grynberg

Laurent Sanchez-Palencia, Michele Schiavoni, Ferrucio Renzoni +1 more

T. L. Bailey, C. A. Bertulani, Eddy Timmermans

Laurent Sanchez-Palencia, Péter Horák, G. Grynberg

Michele Schiavoni, Laurent Sanchez-Palencia, Ferruccio Renzoni +1 more

We demonstrate the phenomenon of directed diffusion in a symmetric periodic potential. This has been realized with cold atoms in a one-dimensional dissipative optical lattice. The stochastic process of optical pumping leads to a diffusive dynamics of the atoms through the periodic structure, while a zero-mean force which breaks the temporal symmetry of the system is applied by phase modulating one of the lattice beams. The atoms are set into directed motion as a result of the breaking of the temporal symmetry of the system.

Laurent Sanchez-Palencia, Michele Schiavoni, Ferruccio Renzoni +1 more

We observed directed diffusion of laser-cooled atomic samples in optical lattices. By adding a periodic force with even and odd harmonics of average zero but that breaks the temporal symmetry, we induced a net atomic motion.