Thermal versus quantum fluctuations of optical-lattice fermions

Campo, Vivaldo L and Capelle, Klaus and Hooley, Chris and Quintanilla, Jorge and Scarola, Vito W (2012) Thermal versus quantum fluctuations of optical-lattice fermions. Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 85 (3). 033644. ISSN 1050-2947. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.85.033644) (Full text available)

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Official URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.85.033644

Abstract

We show that, for fermionic atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice, the fraction of atoms in doubly occupied sites is a highly nonmonotonic function of temperature. We demonstrate that this property persists even in the presence of realistic harmonic confinement, and that it leads to a suppression of entropy at intermediate temperatures that offers a route to adiabatic cooling. Our interpretation of the suppression is that such intermediate temperatures are simultaneously too high for quantum coherence and too low for significant thermal excitation of double occupancy thus offering a clear indicator of the onset of quantum fluctuations.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions:	Faculties > Science Technology and Medical Studies > School of Physical Sciences Faculties > Science Technology and Medical Studies > School of Physical Sciences > Functional Materials Group
Depositing User:	Jorge Quintanilla
Date Deposited:	29 Mar 2012 17:01
Last Modified:	07 May 2014 11:00
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/29229 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)