Strong local-field effect on the dynamics of a dilute atomic gas irradiated by two counterpropagating optical fields: Beyond standard optical lattices

Jiang Zhu, Guangjiong Dong, Mikhail N. Shneider, Weiping Zhang

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Abstract

We study a recent experiment [K. Li etal., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 250401 (2008)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.101.250401] on diffracting a Bose-Einstein condensate by two counterpropagating optical fields. Including the local-field effect, we explain the asymmetric momentum distribution and self-imaging of the Bose-Einstein condensate self-consistently. Moreover, we find that the two counterpropagating optical fields could not produce a perfect optical lattice, which is actually deformed by the local-field effect. Our work implies that the local-field effect could be essential for getting a better quantitative analysis of other optical lattice experiments. In particular, the intensity imbalance of the two optical fields could act as a new means to tailor both cold atom dynamics and light propagation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number210403
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume106
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - May 25 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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