Can a Single-Pulse Standing Wave Induce Chaos in Atomic Motion?

J. C. Robinson, C. F. Bharucha, K. W. Madison, F. L. Moore, Bala Sundaram, S. R. Wilkinson, and M. G. Raizen
Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 3304 – Published 29 April 1996
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Abstract

We measure momentum transferred from a single pulse of a standing wave of light to a sample of ultracold sodium atoms, and observe a sharp increase in the momentum transfer when the pulse duration exceeds a critical value τcr. A classical analysis of nonlinear resonances shows that resonance overlap occurs at τcr, and there is a transition to global classical chaos. These results are a direct experimental test of the “resonance overlap criteria” and illustrate that even the turning on and off of a simple spatially periodic interaction can lead to surprising and novel results.

  • Received 31 October 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.76.3304

©1996 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

J. C. Robinson, C. F. Bharucha, K. W. Madison, F. L. Moore, Bala Sundaram, S. R. Wilkinson, and M. G. Raizen

  • Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1081

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Vol. 76, Iss. 18 — 29 April 1996

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