6533b7d7fe1ef96bd1267c95
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Formation of spatial shell structures in the superfluid to Mott insulator transition
Artur WideraTorben MüllerImmanuel BlochSimon FöllingFabrice Gerbiersubject
PhysicsCondensed Matter::Quantum GasesOptical latticeSpin statesCondensed matter physicsMott insulatorFOS: Physical sciencesGeneral Physics and Astronomy01 natural sciences010305 fluids & plasmasMott transitionCondensed Matter - Other Condensed MatterSuperfluidityLattice (order)[PHYS.COND.CM-GEN]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Other [cond-mat.other]0103 physical sciencesCondensed Matter::Strongly Correlated ElectronsMetal–insulator transition010306 general physicsJaynes–Cummings–Hubbard modelOther Condensed Matter (cond-mat.other)description
International audience; We report on the direct observation of the transition from a compressible superfluid to an incompressible Mott insulator by recording the in-trap density distribution of a Bosonic quantum gas in an optical lattice. Using spatially selective microwave transitions and spin changing collisions, we are able to locally modify the spin state of the trapped quantum gas and record the spatial distribution of lattice sites with different filling factors. As the system evolves from a superfluid to a Mott insulator, we observe the formation of a distinct shell structure, in good agreement with theory.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-22 |