Controlled wave-packet manipulation with driven optical lattices

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical framework for controlling wave packets in driven optical lattices using strong, smooth pulses, enabling access to target states through adiabatic and non-adiabatic mechanisms, inspired by optical resonance techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to manipulate matter waves in optical lattices via tailored forcing pulses, extending control methods from atomic and molecular physics to ultracold atom systems.

Findings

Demonstrates adiabatic wave packet control on quasienergy surfaces.

Proposes using -pulse analogs for state manipulation.

Suggests adapting laser pulse techniques for matter wave control.

Abstract

Motivated by recent experimental progress achieved with ultracold atoms in kilohertz-driven optical lattices, we provide a theoretical discussion of mechanisms governing the response of a particle in a cosine lattice potential to strong forcing pulses with smooth envelope. Such pulses effectuate adiabatic motion of a wave packet's momentum distribution on quasienergy surfaces created by spatiotemporal Bloch waves. Deviations from adiabaticity can then deliberately be exploited for exerting coherent control and for reaching target states which may not be accessible by other means. As one particular example, we consider an analog of the \pi-pulses known from optical resonance. We also suggest adapting further techniques previously developed for controlling atomic and molecular dynamics by laser pulses to the coherent control of matter waves in shaken optical lattices.