arXiv:quant-ph/0210025 · Physical Review A
Floquet analysis of atom-optics tunneling experiments
Robert Luter, L. E. Reichl
Abstract
Dynamical tunneling has been observed in atom-optics experiments by two groups. We show that the experimental results are extremely well described by time-periodic Hamiltonians with momentum quantized in units of the atomic recoil. The observed tunneling has a well-defined period when only two Floquet states dominate the dynamics. Beat frequencies are observed when three Floquet states dominate. We find frequencies that match those observed in both experiments. The dynamical origin of the dominant Floquet states is identified.