By exploiting the versatility of ultracold atoms experiments, a variety of many-body phe- nomena can be studied. Ferromagnetism in a trapped ultracold gas of repulsively interacting fermions is considered within a local-density approximation and beyond, where energetic sig- natures indicate its onset. Transport of a Bose-Einstein condensate is explored experimentally in a tunable double-well potential, and a crossover from hydrodynamic to Josephson transport is observed as the barrier between condensates is raised. To add a degree of freedom for the manipulation of ultracold gases, two schemes for species-specific optical lattices are developed theoretically.

This thesis presents the experimental study on the two-spin component, strongly interacting 6 Li Fermi gases in 3D and 1D traps. The interaction strength is tuned from the molecular BEC regime to the BCS regime using a Feshbach resonance. The trap dimension can be tuned from 3D to 1D with the implementation of optical lattice. The evaporation of imbalanced Fermi gases in 3D trap is studied. The anisotropic and fast evaporation is the cause of the deformation observed in the 2006 Rice experiment. In a balanced Fermi system, the fraction of correlated states is measured as a function of interaction and temperature. At unitarity, the fraction of correlated states is ∼85% and exists above T c . The one-body-like photoexcitation rate can be related to the contact quantity. Lastly, the spin-imbalance in a one-dimensional Fermi gas is studied. The 1D phase diagram is mapped out. The result agrees well with the 1D theory, in which the partially polarized regime is predicted to be a FFLO phase, an exotic superfluid with pairs carrying finite center-of-mass momentum proposed almost 50 years ago.

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In this thesis we investigate strongly-correlated states of ultracold bosonic atoms in rotating ring lattices and arrays of double-well potentials. In the first part of the thesis, we study the tunneling dynamics of ultracold bosons in double-well potentials. In the non-interacting limit single-particle transitions dominate, while in the interaction-dominated regime correlated tunneling of all particles prevails. At intermediate times of the many-particle flopping process correlated states occur, but the timescales of these processes increase dramatically with the number of particles. Using an array of double-well potentials, a large number of such few-particle superposition states can be produced in parallel. In the second part of the thesis, we study the effects of rotation on ultracold bosons confined to one-dimensional ring lattices. We find that at commensurate filling there exists a critical rotation frequency, at which the ground state of the weakly-interacting gas is fragmented into a macroscopic superposition of different quasi-momentum states. We demonstrate that the generation of such superposition states using slightly non-uniform ring lattices has several practical advantages. Moreover, we show that different quasi-momentum states can be distinguished in time-of-flight absorption imaging and propose to probe correlations via the many-body oscillations induced by a sudden change in the rotation frequency. Finally, we compare these macroscopic superposition states to those occurring in superconducting quantum interference devices. In the third part of the thesis, we demonstrate the creation of entangled states with ultracold bosonic atoms by dynamical manipulation of the shape of the lattice potential. To this end, we consider an optical superlattice that allows both the splitting of each site into a double-well potential and the variation of the height of the potential barrier between the sites. We show how to use this array of double-well potentials to perform entangling operations between neighboring qubits encoded on the Zeeman levels of the atoms. As one possible application, we present a method of realizing a resource state for measurement-based quantum computation via Bell-pair measurements. In the final part of the thesis, we study ultracold bosons on a two-dimensional square lattice in the presence of an effective magnetic field and point out a couple of features this system has in common with ultracold bosons in one-dimensional rotating ring lattices.

Nessa tese, o objetivo principal foi verificar a estabilidade de sistemas atômicos condensados, sujeitos a diferentes combinações lineares e não-lineares de redes ópticas bie tridimensionais, considerando algumas situações simétricas e assimétricas. Com esse objetivo, foram realizadas análises variacionais e simulações numéricas exatas da equação não-linear correspondente que descreve sistemas condensados de Bose-Einstein, tipo-Schrödinger, mais conhecida como equação de Gross-Pitaevskii. No caso bidimensional, com redes ópticas cruzadas, linear e não-linear, foi verificada a existência de estabilidade para certas regiões de parâmetros das interações. Observou-se que essa estabilidade desaparece ao se incluir uma terceira dimensão sem a presença de um potencial de confinamento. No caso tridimensional, considerando redes ópticas lineares e não-lineares cruzadas, a estabilidade só ocorre quando consideramos uma interação confinante na terceira dimensão, no caso, uma segunda rede óptica linear. Finalmente, espera-se que nossos resultados venham a ser úteis para estudos experimentais que vêm sendo feitos em laboratórios de átomos ultra-frios. / In this thesis, the main objective was the verification of stability of condensed atomic systems, subject to different combinations of linear and nonlinear bi- and tridimensional optical lattices , considering some symmetric and asymmetric situations. With this objective, were performed variational analyzes and numerical exact simulations of the nonlinear Schrödinger-type equation that describes Bose-Einstein condensate systems, better known as Gross-Pitaevskii equation. In two-dimensional case, with a crossed linear and nonlinear optical lattice, the stability was confirmed for certain parameter regions of the interactions. It was observed that the stability disappears when including a third dimension without the presence of a confinement potential. In the three dimensional case, considering crossed linear and nonlinear optical lattices, stability occurs only when considering an interaction confining the third dimension, in this case a second linear optical lattice. Finally, it is expected that our results will be useful for experimental studies which have been done in the laboratories of ultra-cold atoms. Keywords:

Die ultrakalte Atom- und Molekülephysik, zu welcher man zum Beispiel bei der Bose-Einstein-Kondensation von verdünnten Gasen Zugang hat, wurde untersucht. In solchen Systemen dominieren Zwei-Körper-Stöße und ihre detaillierte Untersuchung ist eines der zentralen Themen dieser Arbeit. Diese wurden durchgeführt unter Berücksichtigung von elementaren chemischen Reaktionen, Photoassoziation und magnetischen Feshbach-Resonanzen. Weiterhin wurden Untersuchungen von Atomen in optischen Gittern durchgeführt. Die Viel-Teilchen-Systeme wurden nicht nur mit dem üblichen mean-field Ansatz behandelt, sondern auch darüber hinausgehend, um die voll korrelierte Bewegung zu simulieren. / The ultracold atomic and molecular physics as it is accessible, e.g., in Bose-Einstein condensates of dilute gases was investigated. In such systems two-body collisions are dominant and their detailed study is one of the central topics of this work. They were done considering elementary chemical reactions as photoassociation, and magnetic Feshbach resonances. Additionally, studies of atoms in optical lattice sites were carried out. The many-body systems were not only considered within the usually adopted mean-field approach but also beyond that in order to simulate the fully correlated motion.

Utilizamos o modelo de Bose-Hubbard para estudar as estabilidades dinâmica e termodinâmica dos condensados numa rede óptica periódica circular. O nosso principal objetivo foi investigar a existência de condensados metaestáveis no sistema. Deduzimos e resolvemos a equação de Gross-Pitaevskii e, a partir da análise das soluções, foi possível mostrar que o sistema se condensa em estados com momento modular bem definido. Esses estados formam uma base que diagonaliza o termo que descreve o tunelamento atômico no hamiltoniano de Bose-Hubbard. No contexto da teoria de Bogoliubov deduzimos para cada condensado, o hamiltoniano efetivo cuja diagonalização determina o espectro das excitações coletivas do sistema. Identificamos corretamente o modo de energia zero, conseqüência da violação da conservação do número de átomos, e verificamos que este possui momento modular igual ao do condensado. No estudo da estabilidade vimos que todos os condensados com momento modular nos 2º e 3º quadrantes são termodinamicamente instáveis e as respectivas condições de estabilidade dinâmica dependem dos parâmetros de controle do sistema. Por outro lado os condensados com momento modular nos 1º e 4º quadrantes são todos dinamicamente estáveis enquanto que, nesse caso, é a estabilidade termodinâmica que depende dos parâmetros de controle do sistema. Nessa análise verificamos que o condensado com momento modular zero, que corresponde ao mínimo global da energia, é sempre estável. Determinamos exatamente o intervalo nos parâmetros de controle a partir do qual podemos encontrar condensados metaestáveis no sistema. Examinamos como a competição entre as intensidades dos termos de tunelamento e repulsão local afeta a estabilidade dos condensados. Essa competição define dois regimes distintos: Rabi, onde a coerência entre estados localizados nos sítios é mantida, e Fock, onde não há mais essa coerência e a aplicabilidade da aproximação de Bogoliubov é questionável. / We use the Bose-Hubbard model to study the dynamical and thermodynamical stabilities of condensates in a circular periodic optical lattice. Our main goal was to investigate the existence of metastable condensates in the system. We derive and solve the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and from the analysis of the solutions it was possible to show that the system condenses in states with well-defined modular momentum. These states constitute a basis that diagonalizes the term of the Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian which describes the dynamics of atomic tunneling. In the framework of Bogoliubov theory we determine, for each condensate, the effective Hamiltonian whose diagonalization give us the collective excitation spectrum of the system. We show that the mode associated to a zero eigenvalue, which is a consequence of the violation of atoms number conservation, has the same modular momentum of the condensate. The condensates with modular momentum in the 2nd and 3rd quadrants are all thermodynamically unstable whereas the dynamical stability depends on the control parameters. On the other hand, the condensates with modular momentum in the 1st and 4th quadrants are all dynamically stable whereas the thermodynamical stability depends on the control parameters. Our analysis shows that the condensate with modular momentum zero, which corresponds to a global minimum of energy, is always stable independently of the control parameters. We determine, exactly, the range on the control parameters where it is possible to detect metastability in the system. We have studied how the competition between the intensities of the tunneling and local interaction terms affects the stability of the condensates. This competition defines two distinct regimes: Rabi, where the coherence between states localized in the sites is achieved, and Fock, where this coherence is not achieved and the validity of Bogoliubov approximation is questionable.

Utilizamos o modelo de Bose-Hubbard para estudar as estabilidades dinâmica e termodinâmica dos condensados numa rede óptica periódica circular. O nosso principal objetivo foi investigar a existência de condensados metaestáveis no sistema. Deduzimos e resolvemos a equação de Gross-Pitaevskii e, a partir da análise das soluções, foi possível mostrar que o sistema se condensa em estados com momento modular bem definido. Esses estados formam uma base que diagonaliza o termo que descreve o tunelamento atômico no hamiltoniano de Bose-Hubbard. No contexto da teoria de Bogoliubov deduzimos para cada condensado, o hamiltoniano efetivo cuja diagonalização determina o espectro das excitações coletivas do sistema. Identificamos corretamente o modo de energia zero, conseqüência da violação da conservação do número de átomos, e verificamos que este possui momento modular igual ao do condensado. No estudo da estabilidade vimos que todos os condensados com momento modular nos 2º e 3º quadrantes são termodinamicamente instáveis e as respectivas condições de estabilidade dinâmica dependem dos parâmetros de controle do sistema. Por outro lado os condensados com momento modular nos 1º e 4º quadrantes são todos dinamicamente estáveis enquanto que, nesse caso, é a estabilidade termodinâmica que depende dos parâmetros de controle do sistema. Nessa análise verificamos que o condensado com momento modular zero, que corresponde ao mínimo global da energia, é sempre estável. Determinamos exatamente o intervalo nos parâmetros de controle a partir do qual podemos encontrar condensados metaestáveis no sistema. Examinamos como a competição entre as intensidades dos termos de tunelamento e repulsão local afeta a estabilidade dos condensados. Essa competição define dois regimes distintos: Rabi, onde a coerência entre estados localizados nos sítios é mantida, e Fock, onde não há mais essa coerência e a aplicabilidade da aproximação de Bogoliubov é questionável. / We use the Bose-Hubbard model to study the dynamical and thermodynamical stabilities of condensates in a circular periodic optical lattice. Our main goal was to investigate the existence of metastable condensates in the system. We derive and solve the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and from the analysis of the solutions it was possible to show that the system condenses in states with well-defined modular momentum. These states constitute a basis that diagonalizes the term of the Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian which describes the dynamics of atomic tunneling. In the framework of Bogoliubov theory we determine, for each condensate, the effective Hamiltonian whose diagonalization give us the collective excitation spectrum of the system. We show that the mode associated to a zero eigenvalue, which is a consequence of the violation of atoms number conservation, has the same modular momentum of the condensate. The condensates with modular momentum in the 2nd and 3rd quadrants are all thermodynamically unstable whereas the dynamical stability depends on the control parameters. On the other hand, the condensates with modular momentum in the 1st and 4th quadrants are all dynamically stable whereas the thermodynamical stability depends on the control parameters. Our analysis shows that the condensate with modular momentum zero, which corresponds to a global minimum of energy, is always stable independently of the control parameters. We determine, exactly, the range on the control parameters where it is possible to detect metastability in the system. We have studied how the competition between the intensities of the tunneling and local interaction terms affects the stability of the condensates. This competition defines two distinct regimes: Rabi, where the coherence between states localized in the sites is achieved, and Fock, where this coherence is not achieved and the validity of Bogoliubov approximation is questionable.

Nessa tese, o objetivo principal foi verificar a estabilidade de sistemas atômicos condensados, sujeitos a diferentes combinações lineares e não-lineares de redes ópticas bie tridimensionais, considerando algumas situações simétricas e assimétricas. Com esse objetivo, foram realizadas análises variacionais e simulações numéricas exatas da equação não-linear correspondente que descreve sistemas condensados de Bose-Einstein, tipo-Schrödinger, mais conhecida como equação de Gross-Pitaevskii. No caso bidimensional, com redes ópticas cruzadas, linear e não-linear, foi verificada a existência de estabilidade para certas regiões de parâmetros das interações. Observou-se que essa estabilidade desaparece ao se incluir uma terceira dimensão sem a presença de um potencial de confinamento. No caso tridimensional, considerando redes ópticas lineares e não-lineares cruzadas, a estabilidade só ocorre quando consideramos uma interação confinante na terceira dimensão, no caso, uma segunda rede óptica linear. Finalmente, espera-se que nossos resultados venham a ser úteis para estudos experimentais que vêm sendo feitos em laboratórios de átomos ultra-frios. / In this thesis, the main objective was the verification of stability of condensed atomic systems, subject to different combinations of linear and nonlinear bi- and tridimensional optical lattices , considering some symmetric and asymmetric situations. With this objective, were performed variational analyzes and numerical exact simulations of the nonlinear Schrödinger-type equation that describes Bose-Einstein condensate systems, better known as Gross-Pitaevskii equation. In two-dimensional case, with a crossed linear and nonlinear optical lattice, the stability was confirmed for certain parameter regions of the interactions. It was observed that the stability disappears when including a third dimension without the presence of a confinement potential. In the three dimensional case, considering crossed linear and nonlinear optical lattices, stability occurs only when considering an interaction confining the third dimension, in this case a second linear optical lattice. Finally, it is expected that our results will be useful for experimental studies which have been done in the laboratories of ultra-cold atoms. Keywords:

Dans cette thèse, nous faisons état de la construction d’un dispositif expérimentalcapable de piéger et refroidir un gaz d’ytterbium, dans l’optique de simuler des champsmagnétiques artificiels. Ce dispositif permettra, à terme, de produire et de caractériserdes états quantiques fortement corrélés, semblables aux états rencontrés dans la physiquede l’effet Hall quantique, entier ou fractionnaire.Dans un premier temps, nous décrivons la construction des parties de notre dispositifconsacrées au refroidissement optique de l’ytterbium (174Yb). En particulier, nousprésentons la conception d’un ralentisseur Zeeman, permettant le chargement direct d’unpiège magnéto-optique effectué sur la transition d’intercombinaison 1S0 ! 3P1 de l’ytterbium.Après transport dans un piège optique, une étape de refroidissement évaporatifnous permet d’obtenir des condensats de Bose-Einstein contenant environ 5×104 atomesd’ytterbium. Les condensats produits sont alors chargés dans un réseau optique verticalà la longueur d’onde « magique ».Nous présentons ensuite la construction d’un système laser étroit à 578nm capabled’exciter la transition « d’horloge » 1S0 ! 3P0 de l’ytterbium. Le laser est asservi surune cavité Fabry-Perot de grande finesse servant de référence de fréquence, dont nousavons caractérisé les différentes propriétés. Nous présentons en particulier une méthodepermettant de calibrer rapidement la fréquence absolue de la cavité par comparaison avecune transition de la molécule de diiode.Finalement, nous présentons les résultats d’expériences de spectroscopie effectuées surdes condensats d’ytterbium à l’aide du laser étroit, ainsi que la manipulation cohérentedu condensat sur la transition d’horloge au cours d’expériences d’oscillations de Rabi. Cesexpériences préliminaires ouvrent notamment la voie à la mesure des propriétés colisionnellesde l’ytterbium 174. / In this thesis, we report on the construction of an experiment aimed at trapping andcooling an ytterbium gaz, in order to realize artificial gauge fields. In the long term, thissetup will allow the study of strongly correlated quantum states which are atomic analogsof integer or fractional quantum Hall systems.We will first present the building of our experimental apparatus, and the optical coolingof ytterbium (174Yb). In particular, we will report on the design of a Zeeman slower,allowing for the direct loading of a magneto-optical trap operated on ytterbium’s intercombinationtransition 1S0 ! 3P1. The atomic cloud is then transported in an opticaldipole trap. A subsequent evaporative cooling stage results in the production of Bose-Einstein condensates of about 5 × 104 atoms.We then describe the construction of an ultra-narrow laser system at 578nm, able todrive ytterbium’s « clock » transition 1S0 ! 3P0. The laser frequency is stabilized using ahigh-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, whose properties are precisely characterized in this work.Specifically, we present a method to calibrate the absolute frequency of the cavity bycomparison with an optical transition of molecular iodine.Finally, we show the results of spectroscopic measurements done on ytterbium condensatesusing the ultra-narrow laser. We also report on the coherent manipulation of thecondensate on the clock transition, consisting in the observation of Rabi oscillations.These preliminary experiments should allow for a measurement of ytterbium’s scatteringproperties.Keywords : cold atoms, optical lattices, Bose-Einstein condensates, ultra-stable lasers,clock transition, quantum simulation.