Bose-Einstein Condensates in an Optical Lattice

We calculate the quantum motion of a Bose-Einstein condensate in an optical lattice generated by a standing wave of laser light. We show how to boost a stationary condensate into motion or stop a moving condensate by manipulating the optical lattice and how to achieve Bloch oscillations of the condensate in an accelerating optical lattice. We show how atomic interactions affect these processes and discuss conditions for possible experimental...