Dissipative dynamics of meta-stable Fermions in an optical lattice

10 December 2015

Photo: AG Sengstock

We have analyzed the dynamical behaviour of ultracold fermions in a metastable state trapped in a 1D optical lattice. Strong dissipative interactions modify the usual Fermi-Hubbard Hamiltonian and lead to the build-up of correlations in the system which counterintuitively suppress further atom loss. Our finding might be useful for disspative quantum state engeneering or thermometry of Fermi Hubbard systems at ultralow temperatures where no other experimental tools are available.

Particle loss measurements for a 1-dimensional 2-component Fermi gas loaded into an optical lattice of varying lattice depth. Times is given in units of (hbar*U/J^2). Clearly two different timescales can be identified. The two-body correlation function g(2) decreases over time and indicates the build-up of correlations in the system.