Analysis of matter-wave emission into a structured vacuum

Ultracold atoms in optical lattices realize a tunable open quantum
system in the context of matter-wave emission into vacuum. Recent
studies [1, 2] have demonstrated drastic departures from Markovian
spontaneous emission into a vacuum near an energetic boundary, as
well as the existence of a bound matter-wave and emitter state below
it. In this talk we theoretically analyze the effects of introducing
an emission vacuum with a band structure mirroring that of a photonic
crystal. We find exotic decay dynamics arising from the analytic
structure of the self-energy, including a beating between bound
states at opposite edges of a band. The dynamic depends on the
interplay between coupling strength and bandwidth, which can be
easily tuned in the optical lattice platform.

[1] L. Krinner, M. Stewart, A. Pazmiño, J. Kwon, D. Schneble, Nature 559, 589 (2018)
[2] M. Stewart, L. Krinner, A. Pazmiño, D. Schneble, Phys. Rev. A 95, 013626 (2017)