Experimental verification of a one-parameter scaling law for the quantum and "classical" resonances of the atom-optics kicked rotor

We present experimental measurements of the mean energy in the vicinity of the first and second quantum resonances of the atom-optics kicked rotor for a number of different experimental parameters. Our data are rescaled and compared with the one-parameter (ϵ) classical scaling function developed to describe the quantum resonance peaks. Additionally, experimental data are presented for the “classical” resonance which occurs in the limit as the kicking period goes to zero. This resonance is found to be analogous to the quantum resonances, and a similar one-parameter classical scaling function is derived, and found to match our experimental results. The widths of the quantum and classical resonance peaks are compared, and their sub-Fourier nature examined.