Semiclassical Monte Carlo approaches for realistic atoms in optical lattices

We present two different numerical approaches, based on semiclassical Monte Carlo simulations, for the study of optical lattices associated with J(g) --> J(e) atomic transitions, for angular momenta J(g) and J(e) larger than 1/2. Our models rely on an adiabatic-type approximation and give a correct description of the steady-state temperature and localization properties of the lattice, in a large range of parameters. These models combine the possi bility of getting intuitive images of complex fundamental physical processe s in optical lattices, together with particularly reasonable computing time s.