arXiv · cond-mat/0201123
Bose-Einstein Condensates in Time-Dependent Light Potentials: Adiabatic and Nonadiabatic Behavior of Nonlinear Wave Equations
Abstract
The criteria for validity of adiabaticity for nonlinear wave equations are considered within the context of atomic matter-waves tunneling from macroscopically populated optical standing-wave traps loaded from a Bose-Einstein condensate. We show that even when the optical standing wave is slowly turned on and the condensate behaves adiabatically during this turn-on, once the tunneling-time between wells in the optical lattice becomes longer than the nonlinear time-scale, adiabaticity breaks down and a significant spatially varying phase develops across the condensate wave function from well to well. This phase drastically affects the contrast of the fringe pattern in Josephson-effect interference experiments, and the condensate coherence properties in general.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
Y. B. Band, Marek Trippenbach. 2002-01-09. Bose-Einstein Condensates in Time-Dependent Light Potentials: Adiabatic and Nonadiabatic Behavior of Nonlinear Wave Equations. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.65.053602
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.