Thermodynamics of quantum degenerate gases in optical lattices

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the entropy-temperature relationship of quantum gases in optical lattices, showing how lattice loading can heat or cool the gases and how interactions limit cooling in Bose gases.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed calculation of entropy-temperature curves for non-interacting gases and assesses interaction effects on cooling limits in optical lattices.

Findings

Adiabatic lattice loading can significantly heat or cool atomic gases.

Interactions in Bose gases limit the cooling achievable during loading.

Entropy-temperature curves help understand thermodynamic behavior in optical lattices.

Abstract

The entropy-temperature curves are calculated for non-interacting Bose and Fermi gases in a 3D optical lattice. These curves facilitate understanding of how adiabatic changes in the lattice depth affect the temperature, and we demonstrate regimes where the atomic sample can be significantly heated or cooled by the loading process. We assess the effects of interactions on a Bose gas in a deep optical lattice, and show that interactions ultimately limit the extent of cooling that can occur during lattice loading.