arXiv:cond-mat/9707294 · Physical Review A

Laser-induced rotation of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate

Karl-Peter Marzlin, Weiping Zhang

Published May 1, 1998• 40 citations

Abstract

Atom optic techniques are proposed to control the excitation of a Bose-Einstein condensate in an atomic trap. We show that by employing the dipole potential induced by four highly detuned traveling-wave laser beams with appropriate phases and frequencies, one can coherently excite a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate composed of ultracold alkali-metal atoms into a state rotating around the trap center. Pure vortex states can be created with this scheme if the condensate is trapped in an anharmonic trap.

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.57.3801

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