A Raman configuration consisting of two pairs of counterpropagating traveling wave fields is shown to lead to optical potentials having $\lambda /8\mathrm{}$ periodicity. Such optical potentials may be used to construct optical lattices having $\lambda /8\mathrm{}$ periodicity. Using numerical diagonalization, we obtain the optical potentials for ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms.

• Received 8 July 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.66.045402