Collective atomic motion in an optical lattice formed inside a high finesse cavity.
We report on collective nonlinear dynamics in an optical lattice formed inside a high finesse ring cavity in a so far unexplored regime, where the light shift per photon times the number of trapped atoms exceeds the cavity resonance linewidth. We observe bistability and self-induced squeezing oscillations resulting from the retroaction of the atoms upon the optical potential wells. We can well understand most of our observations within a simplified model assuming adiabaticity of the atomic motion. Nonadiabatic aspects of the atomic motion are reproduced by solving the complete system of coupled nonlinear equations of motion.
Nagorny
B
B
Institut für Laser-Physik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg, Germany.
Elsässer
Th
T
Hemmerich
A
A