Magnetic oscillations for neutral atoms subject to an electromagnetic field

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how the de Haas van Alphen effect can be simulated in a two-dimensional atomic gas using the He-McKellar-Wilkens interaction, leading to observable quantum oscillations in energy and magnetization.

Contribution

It introduces a method to induce and observe atomic analogs of magnetic oscillations via synthetic magnetic fields and electric dipole interactions.

Findings

Atomic Landau levels can be formed in a synthetic magnetic field.

Quantum oscillations in energy and magnetization are observed.

The Fermi circle area can be deduced from oscillation periods.

Abstract

We show that the de Haas van Alphen effect can be induced in a two dimensional atomic gas by the He-McKellar-Wilkens interaction mediated via an electric dipole moment. Under an appropriate field-dipole configuration, we show that the neutral atoms subject to a synthetic magnetic field arrange themselves in Landau levels. An experimental arrangement for observation of the atomic analog of dHvA oscillations is proposed. In a strong effective magnetic field regime we present the quantum oscillations in the energy and effective magnetization of the two dimensional atomic gas. From the dHvA period we determine the area of the Fermi circle of the atomic cloud.