Quantum control of ultra-cold atoms: uncovering a novel connection between two paradigms of quantum nonlinear dynamics

Controlling the translational motion of cold atoms using optical lattice potentials is of both theoretical and experimental interest. By designing two on-resonance time sequences of kicking optical lattice potentials, a novel connection between two paradigms of nonlinear mapping systems, i.e. the kicked rotor model and the kicked Harper model, is established. In particular, it is shown that Hofstadter's butterfly quasi-energy spectrum in periodically driven quantum systems may soon be realized experimentally, with the effective Planck constant tunable by varying the time delay between two sequences of control fields. Extensions of this study are also discussed. The results are intended to open up a new generation of cold-atom experiments of quantum nonlinear dynamics.