Experimental observation of high-order quantum accelerator modes.

Abstract

Using a freely falling cloud of cold cesium atoms periodically kicked by pulses from a vertical standing wave of laser light, we present the first experimental observation of high-order quantum accelerator modes. This confirms the recent prediction by Fishman, Guarneri, and Rebuzzini [Phys. Rev. Lett.10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.084101 89, 084101 (2002)]. We also show how these accelerator modes can be identified with the stable regions of phase space in a classical-like chaotic system, despite their intrinsically quantum origin.