At the present time, it is considered that Bose crystals are formed at the cooling of a fluid, because the state of crystal is more favorable by energy. It is also believed [1,2] that no ordering factor forming a crystal is present, except for the interatomic interaction. However, the available solutions [1,2,3] for the wave functions (WFs) of the ground and excited states of a crystal are approximate and are obtained for cyclic boundary conditions, which are not realized in the Nature. Here, we present the exact solutions for the WFs of a Bose crystal with rectangular lattice under natural zero boundary conditions. The structure of WFs implies that 1) a crystal is formed by a standing wave in the probability field; 2) a crystal in the ground state contains a condensate of atoms with the wave vector \textbf{k}_l=(π/\bar{R}_x, π/\bar{R}_y, π/\bar{R}_z) (\bar{R}_x, \bar{R}_y, \bar{R}_z are the periods of the lattice) that is equal to a half of the vector of the reciprocal lattice. These solutions indicate that the ordering factor forming a crystal is an intense standing wave similar to a sound one. Thus, the periodicity of a lattice is caused by that of a sound wave, but not only by the energy minimum principle. Apparently, the crystals of other types and with different lattices have the wave nature as well. The condensate opens a possibility to explain the nonclassical inertia moment discovered by Kim and Chan [4,5] in solid He-4, which testifies, probably, to the presence of a superfluid subsystem in the crystal.
At the present time, it is considered that Bose crystals are formed at the cooling of a fluid, because the state of crystal is more favorable by energy. It is also believed [1,2] that no ordering factor forming a crystal is present, except for the interatomic interaction. However, the available solutions [1,2,3] for the wave functions (WFs) of the ground and excited states of a crystal are approximate and are obtained for cyclic boundary conditions, which are not realized in the Nature. Here, we present the exact solutions for the WFs of a Bose crystal with rectangular lattice under natural zero boundary conditions. The structure of WFs implies that 1) a crystal is formed by a standing wave in the probability field; 2) a crystal in the ground state contains a condensate of atoms with the wave vector \textbf{k}_l=(π/\bar{R}_x, π/\bar{R}_y, π/\bar{R}_z) (\bar{R}_x, \bar{R}_y, \bar{R}_z are the periods of the lattice) that is equal to a half of the vector of the reciprocal lattice. These solutions indicate that the ordering factor forming a crystal is an intense standing wave similar to a sound one. Thus, the periodicity of a lattice is caused by that of a sound wave, but not only by the energy minimum principle. Apparently, the crystals of other types and with different lattices have the wave nature as well. The condensate opens a possibility to explain the nonclassical inertia moment discovered by Kim and Chan [4,5] in solid He-4, which testifies, probably, to the presence of a superfluid subsystem in the crystal.
A new class of solutions for Bose crystals with a simple cubic lattice consisting of N atoms is found. The wave function (WF) of the ground state takes the form Ψ_0=e^{S_{w}^{l}+S_{b}}*\prod_j [\sin{k_{l_x}x_{j}}\sin{k_{l_y}y_{j}}\sin{k_{l_z}z_{j}}], where e^{S_{b}} is the ground-state WF of a fluid, and \textbf{k}_l=(π/a_l, π/a_l, π/a_l) (a_l is the lattice constant). The state with a single longitudinal acoustic phonon is described by the WF Ψ_k=[ρ_{-k}+corrections + 7 permutations]Ψ_0, where the permutations give the terms with different signs of components of vector k. The structure of Ψ_k is such that the excitation corresponds, in fact, to the replacement of \textbf{k}_l in some triple of sines from Ψ_0 by \textbf{k}. Such a structure of Ψ_0 and Ψ_k means that the crystal is created by sound: the ground state of a cubic crystal is formed by N identical three-dimensional standing waves similar to a longitudinal sound. It is also shown that the crystal in the ground state has a condensate of atoms with \textbf{k}=\textbf{k}_l. The nonclassical inertia moment observed in crystals He-4 can be related to the synchronous tunneling of condensate atoms.
It is usually assumed that the Bose crystal at T=0 corresponds to the genuine ground state of a Bose system, i.e., this state is non-degenerate and is described by the wave function without nodes. By means of symmetry analysis we show that the ground state of a Bose system of any density should correspond to a liquid or gas, but not to a crystal. The main point is that any anisotropic state of a system of spinless bosons is degenerate. We prove this for an infinite three-dimensional (3D) system and a finite ball-shaped 3D system. One can expect that it is true also for a finite system of any form. Therefore, the anisotropic state cannot be the genuine ground state. Hence, a zero-temperature natural 3D crystal should correspond to an excited state of a Bose system. The wave function Ψ0c of a zero-temperature 3D Bose crystal is proposed for zero boundary conditions. Apparently, such Ψ0c corresponds to a local minimum of energy (absolute minimum corresponds to a liquid). Those properties yield the possibility of existence of superfluid liquid H2, Ne, Ar, and other inert elements. We propose several possible experimental ways of obtaining them.
Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is a new state of matter, experimentally realized in a dilute alkali gas of weakly interacting bosons. The gas is cooled to very low temperatures, of the order of nano-Kelvin, at which point a large fraction of the atoms occupy the lowest quantum state. Under such conditions, the quantum effects become apparent on a macroscopic scale. Many fundamental ideas
of quantum mechanics have been realized and proven to be true in experiments,
by studying the Bose-Einstein condensates. Amongst them, the observation of
macroscopic matter wave interference, the creation of vortices, dark and bright
solitons etc, find special mention. The dynamics of this system in presence of an
optical lattice reveals a superfluid to Mott insulator quantum phase transition.
This has opened a new avenue for research on BEC and its applications. From
a theoretical standpoint, the dynamics of BEC can be described by means of an
effective mean-field theory. This formalism is much simpler than the many-body
Schr¨odinger equation and based on a classical nonlinear evolution equation, known
as Gross-Pitaevskii equation. The nonlinear nature of the GPE leads to several interesting phenomena like soliton propagation, vortices, four wave mixing etc.,
which are closely related to nonlinear fiber optics.
The present thesis deals with nonlinear excitations and different phases of BEC
and is organized as follows: after a brief introduction, in chapter two, we start
with BEC in a one-dimensional shallow optical lattice, experiencing both cubic
and quintic nonlinearity. A superfluid density wave, of twice the periodicity of
lattice potential, is identified. This indicates matter redistribution, where atoms
from neighbouring sites have been depleted leading to a density wave behaviour.
Interestingly, it ceases to exist when only one of these interactions is operative.
We predict the loss of superfluidity through a classical dynamical phase transition,
where modulational instability leads to the loss of phase coherence. In presence
of pure two-body interaction, the superfluid density shows a periodicity commensurate
with the lattice potential. Apart from the superfluid state, a density wave
insulating phase is also found to exist, possessing two frequency modulations commensurate
with the lattice potential. A dynamical phase transition connects the
superfluid phase with an insulating phase, which in turn, is connected with the
density wave insulating phase. The solutions are found to be marginally stable, as
per the Vakhitov-Kolokolov (VK) criterion.
Chapter three describes the dynamics of the atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein
condensate (AMBEC) by mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE), taking into
account the atom-molecular interaction, as well as atom-molecule inter-conversion.
The two-body atom-atom, atom-molecule and molecule-molecule interactions are
analogous to the cubic nonlinearity of the standard GPE, whereas, the quadratic
nonlinear term arising from the inter-conversion between atoms and molecules is
identical to the scenario in strongly coupled BEC in one dimension. The presence
of both weak and strong interactions adds further richness to this system. We
find the molecular BEC possesses a complex dark (grey) soliton, while the atomic condensate is a bright one. The energy and momentum of this system is computed
in order to see the effect of the both weak and strong interactions on Lieb mode
profile and compare it with the pure atomic condensate profile. Another class
of solutions exist in this system, where both atomic and molecular condensates
possess bright solitons.
In chapter four, we investigate the effect of a harmonic trap on the dynamics
of grey solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates. It is observed that, these nonlinear
excitations of the cigar-shaped Bose-Einstein condensate have strong coupling
with the trap at low momenta and hence can be effectively isolated from the
Bogoliubov sound modes, which respond weakly to harmonic confinement. This
strong coupling with the trap also makes the grey soliton amenable for control and
manipulation through trap modulation and temporal variation of the two-body interaction.
We have shown that in presence of an expulsive oscillator trap, the grey
soliton gets amplified, while having a compression in its width. Exact solutions are
also obtained in case of the two component Bose-Einstein condensates (TBECs),
where one component is a grey soliton and the other a bright one. The presence
of the trap and inter-species interaction significantly affects the grey soliton dynamics.
Similar to the single component, in the present case, we have shown that
both grey and bright soliton can be compressed simultaneously. A detailed study
of the energy and momentum of the soliton is reported, in order to find the effect
of the trap on the Lieb mode.
In chapter five, we study a BEC-defect complex in a quasi-one dimensional
scenario, where the defect atom moves in the condensate with constant velocity.
Explicit solutions of the coupled mean-field equations, describing defect-grey soliton
dynamics are obtained, demonstrating the coexistence of grey soliton and a
localized defect. Unlike the case of dark soliton, where the defect trapping center
has vanishing superfluid density, the moving grey soliton necessarily possesses a finite superfluid component at the defect location. The presence of the defect can
lower the grey soliton’s maximum velocity, as compared to the defect free case,
where the maximum velocity is the sound velocity. We have also carried out the
stability analysis of the obtained solutions using renormalized momentum formalism
and Vakhitov-Kolokolov criteria and find that the obtained solutions are stable
through both the methods. The grey soliton’s energy gets substantially modified
through its interaction with the defect, opening up the possibility of its control
through defect dynamics.
Chapter six describes a parametrically forced Bose-Einstein condensate in the
presence of a general moving optical lattice. The interaction between the atoms in
the condensate and the time dependent lattice potential leads to a novel propagating
superfluid matter wave, which can be controlled through chirp management.
This system, when placed in a trap, accelerates and undergoes rapid nonlinear
compression, controlled by the chirp. The density achieves its maximum, when
the matter wave changes direction. It is also shown that this system exhibits dynamical
superfluid insulator transition, where superfluidity breaks down and the
condensate transits to an insulating phase. The stability has been investigated
using Vakhitov-Kolokolov criterion and found that it depends on the chirp, as well
as on the nature of the atom-atom interaction. The exact expression for energy
is obtained and analyzed in detail to gain physical understanding of the chirp
management of the sinusoidal excitations and also the dynamical phase transition.
We experimentally and theoretically investigate the anisotropic speed of sound of an atomic superfluid (SF) Bose-Einstein condensate in a 1D optical lattice. Because the speed of sound derives from the SF density, this implies that the SF density is itself anisotropic. We find that the speed of sound is decreased by the optical lattice, and the SF density is concomitantly reduced. This reduction is accompanied by the appearance of a zero entropy normal fluid in the purely Bose condensed phase. The reduction in SF density-first predicted [A. J. Leggett, Phys. Rev. Lett. 25, 1543 (1970).PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.25.1543] in the context of supersolidity-results from the coexistence of superfluidity and density modulations, but is agnostic about the origin of the modulations. We additionally measure the moment of inertia of the system in a scissors mode experiment, demonstrating the existence of rotational flow. As such we shed light on some supersolid properties using imposed, rather than spontaneously formed, density order.
Based on a mean-field approach, spontaneously crystalline ground states, called quantum crystals, of a trapped Rydberg-dressed Bose-Einstein condensate are numerically investigated. In a quasi-two-dimensional geometry, a hexagonal lattice of condensate droplets manifests when dressed coupling is above a critical value. The onset of the crystallized state is characterized by a drastic drop of the nonclassical rotational inertia fraction (NCRIF). Nevertheless, the NCRIF remains a large value for a large span of dressed coupling, which indicates that the long-range phase coherence of a superfluid is preserved in the crystallized state. By relaxing the confinement against the two-dimensional geometry and by introducing an anisotropic interaction, an AB stacking bilayer lattice and a nearly square lattice, respectively, are also available in the system. A quasi-one-dimensional lattice is also shown.
In this paper we suggest a new ground-state wave function and low-temperature density matrix for a strongly interacting system of bosons. Our basic assumption is that the system can support long-wavelength phonons and that these can propagate independently of any other mode of motion. We therefore write the ground-state function as the product of two factors. One factor arises from the zero-point motion of the phonons, and we show that it has the form ${\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{i<j}f({r}_{\mathrm{ij}})$, where lnf(r) has an infinite range. The other factor is assumed to have this same form but with lnf(r) of finite range; it takes into account the short-range correlations arising from the strong repulsive part of the interparticle potential. The function we have chosen to represent the short-range correlations is not new; functions of this kind were first introduced by Bijl and later by Jastrow. At finite temperatures we use a density matrix for an ensemble of excited phonon states. We find that for small wave vectors k, the structure factor S(k) is equal to $\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}k}{2mc}$, a result that was first derived by Feynman. At a finite temperature T, S(k) tends to the constant value mc2kBT, where m is the mass of the particles and c the velocity of propagation of the phonons. The momentum distribution nk has a ${k}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ singularity at absolute zero and a stronger, ${k}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ singularity at finite temperatures. The small-k behavior of both S(k) and nk is completely controlled by the correlations introduced by the phonons. Both the ground-state function and the density matrix imply that there is a finite fraction of particles in the zero-momentum state in three dimensions; this fraction does not seem to be appreciably affected by the infinite-range correlations introduced by the phonons. We find, however, that these correlations imply that a one-dimensional Bose system does not exhibit Bose-Einstein condensation at any temperature, while a two-dimensional system exhibits Bose-Einstein condensation only at absolute zero.