title: Multimode dynamics and emergence of a characteristic length scale in a one-dimensional quantum system.
abstract: We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of a coherently split one-dimensional Bose gas by measuring the full probability distribution functions of matter-wave interference. Observing the system on different length scales allows us to probe the dynamics of excitations on different energy scales, revealing two distinct length-scale-dependent regimes of relaxation. We measure the crossover length scale separating these two regimes and identify it with the prethermalized phase-correlation length of the system. Our approach enables a direct observation of the multimode dynamics characterizing one-dimensional quantum systems.
authors.affiliation: Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Atominstitut, TU Wien, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuhnert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Langen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gring
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rauer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adu Smith
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmiedmayer