Evolution of spin-dependent atomic wave packets in a harmonic potential

We have investigated theoretically the evolution of spin-dependent atomic wave packets in a harmonic magnetic trapping potential. For a Bose-condensed gas, which undergoes a Mott insulator transition and a spin-dependent transport, the atomic wavefunction can be described by an entangled single-atom state. Due to the confinement of the harmonic potential, the density distributions exhibit periodic decay and revival, which is different from the case of free expansion after switching off the combined harmonic and optical lattice potential.