Quantum simulator for the Schwinger effect with atoms in bi-chromatic optical lattices

Understand

Ultra-cold atoms in specifically designed optical lattices can be used to mimic the many-particle Hamiltonian describing electrons and positrons in an external electric field.

• This facilitates the experimental simulation of (so far unobserved) fundamental quantum phenomena such as the Schwinger effect, i.e., spontaneous electron-positron pair creation out of the vacuum by a strong electric field.