Synchronization and Dephasing of Many-Body States in Optical Lattices

We introduce an approach to describe quantum-coherent evolution of a system of cold atoms in an optical lattice triggered by a change in superlattice potential. Using a time-dependent mean field description, we map the problem to a strong coupling limit of previously studied time-dependent BCS model. We compare the mean field dynamics to a simulation using light-cone methods and find reasonable agreement for numerically accessible times. The mean field model is integrable, and gives rise to a rich behavior, in particular to beats and recurrences in the order parameter, as well as singularities in the momentum distribution, directly measureable in cold atom experiment.