arXiv · cond-mat/0503187
Non-Abelian gauge potentials for ultra-cold atoms with degenerate dark states
Abstract
We show that the adiabatic motion of ultra-cold, multi-level atoms in spatially varying laser fields can give rise to effective non-Abelian gauge fields if degenerate adiabatic eigenstates of the atom-laser interaction exist. A pair of such degenerate dark states emerges e.g. if laser fields couple three internal states of an atom to a fourth common one under pairwise two--photon-resonance conditions. For this so-called tripod scheme we derive general conditions for truly non-Abelian gauge potentials and discuss special examples. In particular we show that using orthogonal laser beams with orbital angular momentum an effective magnetic field can be generated that has a monopole component.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
J. Ruseckas, G. Juzeliunas, P. Oehberg, M. Fleischhauer. 2005-03-08. Non-Abelian gauge potentials for ultra-cold atoms with degenerate dark states. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.95.010404
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.