Laser-induced quantum chaos in 1-D crystals

Abstract

We study the electronic band structure for a model one-dimensional periodic potential in the presence of a spacially homogeneous laser field. The statistical properties of the energy bands depend on the coupling between the crystal and the laser field, going from Poisson to Wigner-Dyson (GOE) and back to Poisson as the coupling increases. We argue that the classical dynamics of this system resembles that of a periodically driven pendulum. We find that the chaotic regime is not restricted solely to high-lying bands and should thus be of easier access to optical experiments.