Exploring the Phase Space of the Quantum<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>δ</mml:mi></mml:math>-Kicked Accelerator

Abstract

We experimentally explore the underlying pseudoclassical phase space structure of the quantum delta-kicked accelerator. This was achieved by exposing a Bose-Einstein condensate to the spatially corrugated potential created by pulses of an off-resonant standing light wave. For the first time quantum accelerator modes were realized in such a system. By utilizing the narrow momentum distribution of the condensate we were able to observe the discrete momentum state structure of a quantum accelerator mode and also to directly measure the size of the structures in the phase space.