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Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 124102 (2003) [4 pages]

Experimental Observation of High-Order Quantum Accelerator Modes

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S. Schlunk1, M. B. d’Arcy1, S. A. Gardiner1, and G. S. Summy1,2
1Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
2Department of Physics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-3072

Received 2 December 2002; published 27 March 2003

Using a freely falling cloud of cold cesium atoms periodically kicked by pulses from a vertical standing wave of laser light, we present the first experimental observation of high-order quantum accelerator modes. This confirms the recent prediction by Fishman, Guarneri, and Rebuzzini [Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 084101 (2002)]. We also show how these accelerator modes can be identified with the stable regions of phase space in a classical-like chaotic system, despite their intrinsically quantum origin.


©2003 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.124102
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.124102
PACS: 05.45.Mt, 03.65.Sq, 32.80.Lg, 42.50.Vk

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