title: Matter-wave scattering from ultracold atoms in an optical lattice.
abstract: We study matter-wave scattering from an ultracold, many-body atomic system trapped in an optical lattice. The angular cross section of the target lattice for a matter wave is determined and is demonstrated to have a strong dependence on the many-body phase, superfluid, or Mott insulator. Analytical approaches are employed deep in the superfluid and Mott-insulator regimes, while intermediate points in the phase transition are treated numerically. Matter-wave scattering offers a convenient method for nondestructively probing the quantum many-body phase transition of atoms in an optical lattice.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. ssanders@post.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Scott N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mintert
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Heller