Quantum dynamics of one and two bosonic atoms in a combined tight-binding periodic and weak parabolic potential

Institute of Electronic Structure & Laser, FORTH - 71110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece, EU

Corresponding author: dap@iesl.forth.gr

Received: 7 March 2008
Accepted: 9 June 2008

Abstract

Strongly interacting bosonic particles in a tight-binding periodic potential superimposed by a weak parabolic trap is a paradigm for many cold atom experiments. Here, after revisiting the single-particle problem, we study interaction-bound dimers of bosonic atoms in the combined lattice and parabolic potential. We consider both repulsively and attractively bound dimers and find pronounced differences in their behaviour. We identify conditions under which attractive and repulsive dimers exhibit analogous dynamics. Our studies reveal that coherent transport and periodic oscillations of appropriately prepared one- and two-atom wave packets can be achieved, which may facilitate information transfer in optical-lattice–based quantum computation schemes.