title: Bloch Oscillations in Optical and Zeeman Lattices in the Presence of Spin-Orbit Coupling.
abstract: We address Bloch oscillations of a spin-orbit coupled atom in periodic potentials of two types: optical and Zeeman lattices. We show that in optical lattices the spin-orbit coupling allows controlling the direction of atomic motion and may lead to complete suppression of the oscillations at specific values of the coupling strength. In Zeeman lattices the energy bands are found to cross each other at the boundaries of the Brillouin zone, resulting in period doubling of the oscillations. In all cases, the oscillations are accompanied by rotation of the pseudospin, with a dynamics that is determined by the strength of the spin-orbit coupling. The predicted effects are discussed also in terms of a Wannier-Stark ladder, which in optical lattices consist of two mutually shifted equidistant subladders.
authors.affiliation: ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain.|Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk, Moscow Region 142190, Russia.
authors.forename: Yaroslav V
authors.initials: YV
authors.lastname: Kartashov
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências and Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Edifício C8, Lisboa 1749-016, Portugal.
authors.forename: Vladimir V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Konotop
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências and Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Edifício C8, Lisboa 1749-016, Portugal.
authors.forename: Dmitry A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Zezyulin
authors.affiliation: ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Lluis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torner