Fractional-Period Excitations in Continuum Periodic Systems
  We investigate the generation of fractional-period states in continuum periodic systems. As an example, we consider a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an optical-lattice potential. We show that when the potential is turned on non-adiabatically, the system explores a number of transient states whose periodicity is a fraction of that of the lattice. We illustrate the origin of fractional-period states analytically by treating them as resonant states of a parametrically forced Duffing oscillator and discuss their transient nature and potential observability. 
H. E. Nistazakis, Mason A. Porter, P. G. Kevrekidis, D. J.   Frantzeskakis, A. Nicolin, and J. K. Chin