https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2006-00082-6
A nonadiabatic semi-classical method for dynamics of atoms in optical lattices
Department of Physics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Corresponding author: a jonsell@tp.umu.se
Received:
16
December
2005
Revised:
25
January
2006
Published online:
11
April
2006
We develop a semi-classical method to simulate the motion of atoms in a dissipative optical lattice. Our method treats the internal states of the atom quantum mechanically, including all nonadiabatic couplings, while position and momentum are treated as classical variables. We test our method in the one-dimensional case. Excellent agreement with fully quantum mechanical simulations is found. Our results are much more accurate than those of earlier semi-classical methods based on the adiabatic approximation.
PACS: 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping / 03.65.Sq – Semiclassical theories and applications
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2006