Controlling the Ratchet Effect for Cold Atoms

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that increasing the strength of a delta-kicking ratchet potential in cold atoms induces high-order quantum resonances, leading to larger ratchet currents and offering a new way to control quantum transport.

Contribution

It reveals that high-order quantum resonances can be naturally induced in cold atoms by strengthening the ratchet potential, expanding control over quantum transport phenomena.

Findings

High-order quantum resonances can produce larger ratchet currents.

Classical limit of the system is fully chaotic.

Controlling potential strength influences quantum transport.

Abstract

Low-order quantum resonances manifested by directed currents have been realized with cold atoms. Here we show that by increasing the strength of an experimentally achievable delta-kicking ratchet potential, quantum resonances of a very high order may naturally emerge and can induce larger ratchet currents than low-order resonances, with the underlying classical limit being fully chaotic. The results offer a means of controlling quantum transport of cold atoms.