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arXiv:1206.4806 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

Stationary states of aPTsymmetric two-mode Bose–Einstein condensate

Eva-Maria Graefe

Published Oct 23, 2012• 92 citations
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Abstract

The understanding of nonlinear PT symmetric quantum systems, arising for example in the theory of Bose–Einstein condensates in PT symmetric potentials, is widely based on numerical investigations, and little is known about generic features induced by the interplay of PT symmetry and nonlinearity. To gain deeper insights it is important to have analytically solvable toy models at hand. In the present paper the stationary states of a simple toy model of a PT symmetric system previously introduced in [1, 2] are investigated. The model can be interpreted as a simple description of a Bose–Einstein condensate in a PT symmetric double well trap in a two-mode approximation. The eigenvalues and eigenstates of the system can be explicitly calculated in a straightforward manner; the resulting structures resemble those that have recently been found numerically for a more realistic PT symmetric double delta potential. In addition, a continuation of the system is introduced that allows an interpretation in terms of a simple linear matrix model. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to ‘Quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators’.

DOI
10.1088/1751-8113/45/44/444015

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The understanding of nonlinear PT symmetric quantum systems, arising for example in the theory of Bose–Einstein condensates in PT symmetric potentials, is widely based on numerical investigations, and little is known about generic features induced by the interplay of PT symmetry and nonlinearity. To gain deeper insights it is important to have analytically solvable toy models at hand. In the present paper the stationary states of a simple toy model of a PT symmetric system previously introduced in [1, 2] are investigated. The model can be interpreted as a simple description of a Bose–Einstein condensate in a PT symmetric double well trap in a two-mode approximation. The eigenvalues and eigenstates of the system can be explicitly calculated in a straightforward manner; the resulting structures resemble those that have recently been found numerically for a more realistic PT symmetric double delta potential. In addition, a continuation of the system is introduced that allows an interpretation in terms of a simple linear matrix model. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to ‘Quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators’.
Eigenvalue structure of a Bose–Einstein condensate in a PT\mathcal {PT}PT-symmetric double well
We study a Bose–Einstein condensate in a -symmetric double-well potential where particles are coherently injected in one well and removed from the other well. In mean-field approximation the condensate is described by the Gross–Pitaevskii equation thus falling into the category of nonlinear non-Hermitian quantum systems. After extending the concept of symmetry to such systems, we apply an analytic continuation to the Gross–Pitaevskii equation from complex to bicomplex numbers and show a thorough numerical investigation of the four-dimensional bicomplex eigenvalue spectrum. The continuation introduces additional symmetries to the system which are confirmed by the numerical calculations and furthermore allows us to analyse the bifurcation scenarios and exceptional points of the system. We present a linear matrix model and show the excellent agreement with our numerical results. The matrix model includes both exceptional points found in the double-well potential, namely an EP2 at the tangent bifurcation and an EP3 at the pitchfork bifurcation. When the two bifurcation points coincide the matrix model possesses four degenerate eigenvectors. Close to that point we observe the characteristic features of four interacting modes in both the matrix model and the numerical calculations, which provides clear evidence for the existence of an EP4.
The observation of PT\mathcal{PT}PT symmetry in a coupled optical waveguide system that involves a complex refractive index has been demonstrated impressively in the experiment by R\"uter et al. [Nat. Phys. 6, 192 (2010)]. This is, however, only an optical analog of a quantum system, and it would be highly desirable to observe the manifestation of PT\mathcal{PT}PT symmetry and the resulting properties also in a real, experimentally accessible, quantum system. Following a suggestion by Klaiman et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 080402 (2008)], we investigate a PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric arrangement of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential, where in one well cold atoms are injected while in the other particles are extracted from the condensate. We investigate, in particular, the effects of the nonlinearity in the Gross-Pitaevskii equation on the PT\mathcal{PT}PT properties of the condensate. To study these effects we analyze a simple one-dimensional model system in which the condensate is placed into two PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function traps. The analysis will serve as a useful guide for studies of the behavior of Bose-Einstein condensates in realistic PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric double wells.
In open double-well Bose-Einstein condensate systems which balance in- and outuxes of atoms and which are eectively described by a non-hermitian PT - symmetric HamiltonianPT -symmetric states have been shown to exist. We tackle the question of how these in- and outuxes can be realized and introduce model systems in whichPT -symmetric subsystems are embedded into a closed hermitian system. We show that such subsystems still havePT -symmetric states. In addition we examine what degree of detail is necessary to describe the PT -symmetric properties and the bifurcation structure of such a system correctly by investigating a four-mode matrix model and the full Gross-Pitaevskii equation in one dimension. We also investigate which properties the wave functions of a system must full to allow for PT -symmetric states. In particular the requirements for the phase dierence
A Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a double-well potential, where atoms are incoupled to one side and extracted from the other, can in the mean-field limit be described by the nonlinear Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) with a PT symmetric external potential. If the strength of the in- and outcoupling is increased two PT broken states bifurcate from the PT symmetric ground state. At this bifurcation point a stability change of the ground state is expected. However, it is observed that this stability change does not occur exactly at the bifurcation but at a slightly different strength of the in-/outcoupling effect. We investigate a Bose-Einstein condensate in a PT symmetric double-δ potential and calculate the stationary states. The ground state’s stability is analysed by means of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations and it is shown that the difference in the strength of the in-/outcoupling between the bifurcation and the stability change can be completely explained by the norm-dependency of the nonlinear term in the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.
We show how non-Hermitian potentials used to describe probability gain and loss in effective theories of open quantum systems can be achieved by a coupling of the system to an environment. We do this by coupling a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped in an attractive double-$\ensuremath{\delta}$ potential to a condensate fraction outside the double well. We investigate which requirements have to be imposed on possible environments with a linear coupling to the system. This information is used to determine an environment required for stationary states of the BEC. To investigate the stability of the system we use fully numerical simulations of the dynamics. It turns out that the approach is viable and possible setups for the realization of a PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric potential for a BEC are accessible. Vulnerabilities of the whole system to small perturbations can be attributed to the singular character of the simplified $\ensuremath{\delta}$-shaped potential used in our model.