Controlling vortical motion of particles in two-dimensional driven superlattices

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to control the vortical motion of particles in driven superlattices by modulating potential depths with different phases, enabling the creation of spatial patterns with tailored rotational behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a novel driving scheme that breaks spatial symmetries in superlattices, allowing precise control over particle vortical motion and angular velocities.

Findings

Control of particle vortical motion via phase-modulated superlattices

Ability to tune angular velocities by adjusting driving amplitude

Formation of spatially periodic vortical particle patterns

Abstract

We demonstrate the control of vortical motion of neutral classical particles in driven superlattices. Our superlattice consists of a superposition of individual lattices whose potential depths are modulated periodically in time but with different phases. This driving scheme breaks the spatial reflection symmetries and allows an ensemble of particles to rotate with an average angular velocity. An analysis of the underlying dynamical attractors provides an efficient method to control the angular velocities of the particles by changing the driving amplitude. As a result, spatially periodic patterns of particles showing different vortical motion can be created. Possible experimental realizations include holographic optical lattice based setups for colloids or cold atoms.