Magnetic induced reflection, resistance and symmetry breaking of atomic matter wave in a two-leg ladder

Abstract

The transport of ultracold atoms in a two-leg ladder under non-uniform artificial magnetic field is studied analytically and numerically. Introducing a non-uniform magnetic field as a magnetic barrier produces rich phenomena, similar to the transmission and the reflection of light beams propagating in a non-uniform media. The phase diagram describing atomic transmission and reflection at the magnetic barrier is given. Atomic transport can be effectively controlled by the magnetic field. Interestingly, when atoms transmit through the barrier, magnetic induced resistance and dynamical biased ladder state are observed, offering an efficient dynamical way for realizing the biased ladder phase. Our work provides an theoretical evidence for the coherent control of atomic matter waves in magnetized lattice systems and the design of novel atomic optical devices.