Domokos, Peter

Tuesday March 8,, 2011
Time: 13:00
Place: ETH Science City, HIL E7
Host: Tilman Esslinger

Non-equilibrium quantum phase transition with atoms in optical resonators

Peter Domokos
Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Budapest, Hungary

Laser-driven ultracold atoms in a Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to the single mode of a high-finesse optical cavity exhibit a phase transition from the homogeneous into a periodically patterned distribution above a critical driving strength. This process of  self-organization is closely related to the quantum phase transition of the spin-boson Dicke-model from the normal to the superradiant phase. However, the cavity QED system is intrinsically open and the system is not in equilibrium even at zero temperature. We will discuss the influence of the irreversible photon loss through the cavity mirrors on the main features of the criticality.