Dynamical instability and loss of p-band bosons in optical lattices

TL;DR

This paper investigates the dynamical instability of p-band bosons in optical lattices, revealing how interactions lead to decay into lower and higher bands, affecting atomic populations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the conditions under which p-band bosons become unstable and decay into other bands due to interactions.

Findings

Interactions can cause dynamical instability of p-band bosons.

Atoms can decay into s- and d-bands even without instability.

Substantial population transfer between bands observed.

Abstract

We study how the bosonic atoms on the excited p-band of an optical lattice are coupled to the lowest s-band and the 2nd excited d-band. We find that in some parameter regimes the atom-atom interactions can cause a dynamical instability of the p-band atoms towards decay to the s- and d-bands. Furthermore, even when dynamical instability is not expected s- and d-bands can become substantially populated.