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Detecting antiferromagnetism of atoms in an optical lattice via optical Bragg scattering

Cornell Affiliated Author(s)

Author

T.A. Corcovilos
S.K. Baur
J.M. Hitchcock
E.J. Mueller
R.G. Hulet

Abstract

Antiferromagnetism of ultracold fermions in an optical lattice can be detected by Bragg diffraction of light, in analogy to the diffraction of neutrons from solid-state materials. A finite sublattice magnetization will lead to a Bragg peak from the (121212) crystal plane with an intensity depending on details of the atomic states, the frequency and polarization of the probe beam, the direction and magnitude of the sublattice magnetization, and the finite optical density of the sample. Accounting for these effects we make quantitative predictions about the scattering intensity and find that with experimentally feasible parameters the signal can be readily measured with a CCD camera or a photodiode and used to detect antiferromagnetic order. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Date Published

Journal

Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

Volume

81

Issue

1

URL

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-75749112918&doi=10.1103%2fPhysRevA.81.013415&partnerID=40&md5=d75adf4eedc08462bae218fdacdd8dd5

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevA.81.013415

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