Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Parametric Instabilities of Interacting Bosons in Periodically Driven 1D Optical Lattices

Karen Wintersperger, Marin Bukov, Jakob Näger, Samuel Lellouch, Eugene Demler, Ulrich Schneider, Immanuel Bloch, Nathan Goldman, Monika Aidelsburger

Published Jan 1, 2020• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Periodically driven quantum systems are currently explored in view of realizing novel many-body phases of matter. This approach is particularly promising in gases of ultracold atoms, where sophisticated shaking protocols can be realized and interparticle interactions are well controlled. The combination of interactions and time-periodic driving, however, often leads to uncontrollable heating and instabilities, potentially preventing practical applications of Floquet engineering in large many-body quantum systems. In this work, we experimentally identify the existence of parametric instabilities in weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensates in strongly driven optical lattices through momentum-resolved measurements, in line with theoretical predictions. Parametric instabilities can trigger the destruction of weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensates through the rapid growth of collective excitations, in particular in systems with weak harmonic confinement transverse to the lattice axis. Understanding the onset of parametric instabilities in driven quantum matter is crucial for determining optimal conditions for the engineering of modulation-induced many-body systems.

DOI
10.17863/cam.50594

Related papers

Parametric instabilities in resonantly-driven Bose–Einstein condensates

Samuel Lellouch, Nathan Goldman

Shaking optical lattices in a resonant manner offers an efficient and versatile method to devise artificial gauge fields and topological band structures for ultracold atomic gases. This was recently demonstrated through the experimental realization of the Harper–Hofstadter model, which combined optical superlattices and resonant time-modulations. Adding inter-particle interactions to these engineered band systems is expected to lead to strongly-correlated states with topological features, such as fractional Chern insulators. However, the interplay between interactions and external time-periodic drives typically triggers violent instabilities and uncontrollable heating, hence potentially ruling out the possibility of accessing such intriguing states of matter in experiments. In this work, we study the early-stage parametric instabilities that occur in systems of resonantly-driven Bose–Einstein condensates in optical lattices. We apply and extend an approach based on Bogoliubov theory (Lellouch et al 2017 Phys. Rev. X 7 021015) to a variety of resonantly-driven band models, from a simple shaken Wannier–Stark ladder to the more intriguing driven-induced Harper–Hofstadter model. In particular, we provide ab initio numerical and analytical predictions for the stability properties of these topical models. This work sheds light on general features that could guide current experiments to stable regimes of operation.

arXiv:1711.08832•Quantum Science and Technology•Feb 28, 2018•17 citations

Instabilities of interacting matter waves in optical lattices with Floquet driving

Andrea Di Carli, Robbie Cruickshank, Matthew Mitchell +4 more

We experimentally investigate the stability of a quantum gas with repulsive interactions in an optical one-dimensional lattice subjected to periodic driving. Excitations of the gas in the lowest lattice band are analyzed across the complete stability diagram, from slow to fast driving frequencies and from weak to strong driving strengths. To interpret our results, we expand the established analysis based on parametric instabilities to include modulational instabilities. Extending the concept of modulational instabilities from static to periodically driven systems provides a convenient mapping of the stability in a static system to the cases of slow and fast driving. At intermediate driving frequencies, we observe an interesting competition between modulational and parametric instabilities. We experimentally confirm the existence of both types of instabilities in driven systems and probe their properties. Our results allow us to predict stable and unstable parameter regions for the minimization of heating in future applications of Floquet driving.

arXiv:2303.06092•Physical Review Research•Jul 12, 2023•7 citations

Emergence of tunable periodic density correlations in a Floquet–Bloch system

Nathan Dupont, Lucas Gabardos, Floriane Arrouas +6 more

In quantum gases, two-body interactions are responsible for a variety of instabilities that depend on the characteristics of both trapping and interactions. These instabilities can lead to the appearance of new structures or patterns. We report on the Floquet engineering of such a parametric instability, on a Bose-Einstein condensate held in a time-modulated optical lattice. The modulation triggers a destabilization of the condensate into a state exhibiting a density modulation with a new spatial periodicity. This new crystal-like order, which shares characteristic correlation properties with a supersolid, directly depends on the modulation parameters: The interplay between the Floquet spectrum and interactions generates narrow and adjustable instability regions, leading to the growth, from quantum or thermal fluctuations, of modes with a density modulation noncommensurate with the lattice spacing. This study demonstrates the production of metastable exotic states of matter through Floquet engineering and paves the way for further studies of dissipation in the resulting phase and of similar phenomena in other geometries.

arXiv:2212.10890•Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences•Aug 1, 2023•9 citations

Parametric Instabilities of Interacting Bosons in Periodically Driven 1D Optical Lattices

Karen Wintersperger, Marin Bukov, J. Näger +6 more

The appearance of collective modes, known as parametric instabilities, shortly after shaking an ensemble of ultracold bosons signals their importance for the stability of periodically driven bosonic systems.

arXiv:1808.07462•Physical Review X•Feb 11, 2020•47 citations

Suppressing Parametric Instabilities in Driven Bosonic Lattices through Multi-tone Control

Robbie Cruickshank, Samuel Lellouch, Marin Bukov +3 more

Periodically driven quantum systems offer remarkable flexibility in tailoring effective Hamiltonians and synthetic band structures. However, such driving also induces heating and dynamical instabilities that limit the coherence and lifetime of many-body states. Here, we demonstrate that these instabilities can be suppressed by employing multi-tone driving schemes. Using a Bose-Einstein condensate of cesium atoms in an optical lattice, we experimentally explore two approaches: pulsed driving composed of odd harmonics and two-tone driving with tunable amplitude and relative phase. We show that both methods allow independent control of the effective tunneling amplitude and Peierls phase factor, while significantly reducing phonon excitation and the resulting rapid decay of the condensate. Numerical simulations and theoretical modeling based on Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations confirm the suppression of unstable modes under optimized driving conditions. Our results establish multifrequency drives as powerful tools for stabilizing driven many-body systems and pave the way toward robust Floquet engineering with interactions.

cond-mat.quant-gasCross-listedarXiv:2606.31667•Jul 1, 2026•0 citations

Phonon excitations of Floquet-driven superfluids in a tilted optical lattice

Robbie Cruickshank, Andrea Di Carli, Matthew Mitchell +4 more

Tilted lattice potentials with periodic driving play a crucial role in the study of artificial gauge fields and topological phases with ultracold quantum gases. However, driving-induced heating and the growth of phonon modes restrict their use for probing interacting many-body states. Here, we experimentally investigate phonon modes and interaction-driven instabilities of superfluids in the lowest band of a shaken optical lattice. We identify stable and unstable parameter regions and provide a general resonance condition. In contrast to the high-frequency approximation of a Floquet description, we use the micromotion of the superfluids to analyze the growth of phonon modes from slow- to fast-driving frequencies. The model describes phonon excitations in both resonantly and nonresonantly driven systems, with or without a tilted potential. Our observations enable the prediction of stable parameter regimes for quantum-simulation experiments aimed at studying driven systems with strong interactions over extended time scales. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

arXiv:2401.05265•Physical Review Research•Jun 25, 2024•2 citations
Periodically driven quantum systems are currently explored in view of realizing novel many-body phases of matter. This approach is particularly promising in gases of ultracold atoms, where sophisticated shaking protocols can be realized and interparticle interactions are well controlled. The combination of interactions and time-periodic driving, however, often leads to uncontrollable heating and instabilities, potentially preventing practical applications of Floquet engineering in large many-body quantum systems. In this work, we experimentally identify the existence of parametric instabilities in weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensates in strongly driven optical lattices through momentum-resolved measurements, in line with theoretical predictions. Parametric instabilities can trigger the destruction of weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensates through the rapid growth of collective excitations, in particular in systems with weak harmonic confinement transverse to the lattice axis. Understanding the onset of parametric instabilities in driven quantum matter is crucial for determining optimal conditions for the engineering of modulation-induced many-body systems.
Shaking optical lattices in a resonant manner offers an efficient and versatile method to devise artificial gauge fields and topological band structures for ultracold atomic gases. This was recently demonstrated through the experimental realization of the Harper–Hofstadter model, which combined optical superlattices and resonant time-modulations. Adding inter-particle interactions to these engineered band systems is expected to lead to strongly-correlated states with topological features, such as fractional Chern insulators. However, the interplay between interactions and external time-periodic drives typically triggers violent instabilities and uncontrollable heating, hence potentially ruling out the possibility of accessing such intriguing states of matter in experiments. In this work, we study the early-stage parametric instabilities that occur in systems of resonantly-driven Bose–Einstein condensates in optical lattices. We apply and extend an approach based on Bogoliubov theory (Lellouch et al 2017 Phys. Rev. X 7 021015) to a variety of resonantly-driven band models, from a simple shaken Wannier–Stark ladder to the more intriguing driven-induced Harper–Hofstadter model. In particular, we provide ab initio numerical and analytical predictions for the stability properties of these topical models. This work sheds light on general features that could guide current experiments to stable regimes of operation.
We experimentally investigate the stability of a quantum gas with repulsive interactions in an optical one-dimensional lattice subjected to periodic driving. Excitations of the gas in the lowest lattice band are analyzed across the complete stability diagram, from slow to fast driving frequencies and from weak to strong driving strengths. To interpret our results, we expand the established analysis based on parametric instabilities to include modulational instabilities. Extending the concept of modulational instabilities from static to periodically driven systems provides a convenient mapping of the stability in a static system to the cases of slow and fast driving. At intermediate driving frequencies, we observe an interesting competition between modulational and parametric instabilities. We experimentally confirm the existence of both types of instabilities in driven systems and probe their properties. Our results allow us to predict stable and unstable parameter regions for the minimization of heating in future applications of Floquet driving.
In quantum gases, two-body interactions are responsible for a variety of instabilities that depend on the characteristics of both trapping and interactions. These instabilities can lead to the appearance of new structures or patterns. We report on the Floquet engineering of such a parametric instability, on a Bose-Einstein condensate held in a time-modulated optical lattice. The modulation triggers a destabilization of the condensate into a state exhibiting a density modulation with a new spatial periodicity. This new crystal-like order, which shares characteristic correlation properties with a supersolid, directly depends on the modulation parameters: The interplay between the Floquet spectrum and interactions generates narrow and adjustable instability regions, leading to the growth, from quantum or thermal fluctuations, of modes with a density modulation noncommensurate with the lattice spacing. This study demonstrates the production of metastable exotic states of matter through Floquet engineering and paves the way for further studies of dissipation in the resulting phase and of similar phenomena in other geometries.
Periodically driven quantum systems offer remarkable flexibility in tailoring effective Hamiltonians and synthetic band structures. However, such driving also induces heating and dynamical instabilities that limit the coherence and lifetime of many-body states. Here, we demonstrate that these instabilities can be suppressed by employing multi-tone driving schemes. Using a Bose-Einstein condensate of cesium atoms in an optical lattice, we experimentally explore two approaches: pulsed driving composed of odd harmonics and two-tone driving with tunable amplitude and relative phase. We show that both methods allow independent control of the effective tunneling amplitude and Peierls phase factor, while significantly reducing phonon excitation and the resulting rapid decay of the condensate. Numerical simulations and theoretical modeling based on Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations confirm the suppression of unstable modes under optimized driving conditions. Our results establish multifrequency drives as powerful tools for stabilizing driven many-body systems and pave the way toward robust Floquet engineering with interactions.
Tilted lattice potentials with periodic driving play a crucial role in the study of artificial gauge fields and topological phases with ultracold quantum gases. However, driving-induced heating and the growth of phonon modes restrict their use for probing interacting many-body states. Here, we experimentally investigate phonon modes and interaction-driven instabilities of superfluids in the lowest band of a shaken optical lattice. We identify stable and unstable parameter regions and provide a general resonance condition. In contrast to the high-frequency approximation of a Floquet description, we use the micromotion of the superfluids to analyze the growth of phonon modes from slow- to fast-driving frequencies. The model describes phonon excitations in both resonantly and nonresonantly driven systems, with or without a tilted potential. Our observations enable the prediction of stable parameter regimes for quantum-simulation experiments aimed at studying driven systems with strong interactions over extended time scales. Published by the American Physical Society 2024