A major challenge in the theoretical modeling of double-slit interferometry involving matter-wave fields is the appropriate waveform to be assigned to this field. While all the studies carried out to date on this issue deal with variational fields, experiments suggest that the optical field is generated by splitting a single-hump Bose-Einstein condensate into two spatially and temporally entangled pulses indicating the possibility of fully controlling the subsequent motion of the two output pulses. To probe the consistency of variational and exact soliton solutions to the field equation, we solve the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with an optical potential barrier assumed to act as a beam splitter, while including gravity. The exact solution is compared with the two most common variational wavefunctions, namely, the Hermite-Gaussian and super-sech modes. From numerical simulations, evidence is given of the exact solution as being the most appropriate matter-wave structure that provides a coherent description of the generation and spatio-temporal evolution of matter-wave optical fields in a hypothetical implementation of double-slit atom interferometry
A major challenge in the theoretical modeling of double-slit interferometry involving matter-wave fields is the appropriate waveform to be assigned to this field. While all the studies carried out to date on this issue deal with variational fields, experiments suggest that the optical field is generated by splitting a single-hump Bose-Einstein condensate into two spatially and temporally entangled pulses indicating the possibility of fully controlling the subsequent motion of the two output pulses. To probe the consistency of variational and exact soliton solutions to the field equation, we solve the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with an optical potential barrier assumed to act as a beam splitter, while including gravity. The exact solution is compared with the two most common variational wavefunctions, namely, the Hermite-Gaussian and super-sech modes. From numerical simulations, evidence is given of the exact solution as being the most appropriate matter-wave structure that provides a coherent description of the generation and spatio-temporal evolution of matter-wave optical fields in a hypothetical implementation of double-slit atom interferometry
Bright solitons in a quasi-1D Bose–Einstein condensate can be used to enhance precision in matter-wave interferometry, due to their inherent robustness and support against dispersion. Such a soliton interferometer typically relies on a potential barrier used to split a single soliton into two smaller coherent solitons which can then be recombined on the same barrier. In this thesis we examine two extensions to this scheme. Firstly, we investigate a binary BEC system consisting of two bright solitons which are coupled through a mutual nonlinear interaction term. We derive a set of conditions under which the two components can be separated on a potential barrier and use numerical simulations to probe the regimes beyond which this mathematical treatment is applicable. We then use the numerical simulations to look at the effect of the nonlinear coupling on the dynamics of the binary solitons interacting with the barrier. We also look at the interference behaviour found by doubling the simulation time in either a ring trap or a harmonic trapping potential (to ensure recombination on the barrier); as well as the case where the solitons start spatially separated on either side of the barrier in order to find conditions under which the solitons will combine on the barrier. We find a good agreement between the analytical predictions and the results of simulations. Beyond the regions of parameter space where the predictions are expected to hold, we find complex transmission and interference behaviour as a result of nonlinear effects. The second part of this thesis consists of an examination of the prospect of using a subwavelength barrier scheme in a soliton interferometry experiment. This involves using two resonant coupling beams in a Λ-system with a spatially varying intensity. Under certain conditions, this can be used to form an effective potential barrier with a width which is not diffraction-limited. We look at suitable parameter regimes for such a barrier to split and recombine solitons in an interferometer and probe the effects of possible complications such as misalignment in the beams and different scattering lengths in the different states. We simulate the soliton interferometer using the full three component GPE as well as the single component analogue with the effective potential in order to characterise the soliton behaviour and the dependence of the interferometer sensitivity on the system parameters. We find a trend towards an idealised soliton interferometer with a decreasing value of the parameter, w, controlling the barrier characteristics. Also, we demonstrate an agreement between the relevant three component GPE and the analogous single component GPE, in the limit of strong coupling fields.
By means of variational solution and direct numerical simulation of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE), we have studied the stability of matter-wave solitons in two-dimensional (2D) Bose-Einstein condensations (BECs), with 2D linear and nonlinear optical lattices (OLs). Using the static variational approach and Vakhitov-Kolokolov criterion necessary for stability, we obtain the stability condition for solitons in different combinations of OL's parameters. We show that the 2D linear and nonlinear optical lattices allow us to stabilize 2D solitons for both attractive and repulsive interactions. We also study the time-evolution problems of 2D BECs, using the time-dependent variational approach and numerical solution of GPE for 2D linear and nonlinear OLs. Very good agreement between the results corresponding to both treatments is observed.
Static and dynamic properties of matter-wave solitons in dense Bose–Einstein condensates, where three-body interactions play a significant role, have been studied by a variational approximation (VA) and numerical simulations. For experimentally relevant parameters, matter-wave solitons may acquire a flat-top shape, which suggests employing a super-Gaussian trial function for VA. Comparison of the soliton profiles, predicted by VA and those found from numerical solution of the governing Gross–Pitaevskii equation shows good agreement, thereby validating the proposed approach.
A theoretical scheme for an experimental implementation involving bisolitonic matter waves from an attractive Bose–Einstein condensate, is considered within the framework of a non-perturbative approach to the associate Gross–Pitaevskii equation. The model consists of a single condensate subjected to an expulsive harmonic potential creating a double-condensate structure, and a gravitational potential that induces atomic exchanges between the two overlapping post condensates. Using a non-isospectral scattering transform method, exact expressions for the bright-matter–wave bisolitons are found in terms of double-lump envelopes with the co-propagating pulses displaying more or less pronounced differences in their widths and tails depending on the mass of atoms composing the condensate.
Bose–Einstein Condensation (BEC) of atomic gases has attracted a renewed theoretical and experimental interest in quantum many-body systems at extremely low temperatures (Pethick & Smith; 2002). This excitement stems from two favorable features: (1) by applying magnetic fields and lasers, most of the system parameters, such as the shape, dimensionality, internal states of the condensates, and even the strength of the interatomic interactions, are controllable; (2) due to the diluteness, the mean-field theory explains experiments quite well. In particular, the Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation demonstrates its validity as a basic equation for the condensate dynamics. The GP equation is the counterpart of the nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation in nonlinear optics. Thus, a study based on nonlinear analysis is possible and important. In nonlinear physics, a soliton is remarkable object not only for the fact that exact solutions can be obtained but also for its usefulness as a communications tool due to its robustness. In general, solitons are formed under the balance between nonlinearity and dispersion. For atomic condensates, the former is attributed to the interatomic interactions, while the latter comes from the kinetic energy. Either dark or bright solitons are allowable depending on the positive or negative sign of the interatomic coupling constants g, respectively, and indeed have been observed in a quasione-dimensional (q1D) optically constructed waveguide (Strecker et al.; 2002) (Khaykovich et al.; 2002). Such matter-wave solitons are expected in atom optics for applications in atom laser, atom interferometry, and coherent atom transport (Meystre; 2002). In this chapter, we extend the analysis of the matter-wave solitons to a multicomponent case by considering the so-called spinor condensate (Stenger et al.; 1998) whose spin degrees of freedom are liberated under optical traps. Based on theoretical and experimental results, we introduce a new integrable model which describes the dynamical properties of the matter-wave soliton of spinor condensates (Ieda et al.; 2004a). We employ the inverse scattering method to solve this model exactly. As a result, we predict the occurrence of undiscovered physical phenomena such as macroscopic spin precession and spin switching. The chapter is organized as follows. In Sec. 2, the mean field theory of condensate is briefly reviewed. Section 3 introduces an effective interatomic coupling in a q1D condensate. Using these results, we consider a spinor condensate in q1D regime in Sec. 4. Then, in Sec. 5, we
This work presents a numerical study of a tunnelingbased interferometer implemented using a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) confined in a static double-well potential, where the condensate dynamics are simulated using the one-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation to capture the essential mean-field behavior. By carefully configuring the central barrier parameters, the double well is engineered to act as a coherent matterwave beam splitter. A relative phase is introduced between the two arms of the interferometer, enabling the extraction of phase information through interference. We analyze the resulting interference contrast to determine the best barrier configurations that allow the system to function effectively as an interferometer. It was found that the interferometric contrast remains robust under realistic fluctuations in the barrier parameters, confirming experimental feasibility. Using a fixed barrier for both the splitting and recombination steps, we avoid the need to dynamically ramp the barrier, as in other approaches. This allows us to realize a simple and experimentally accessible interferometry scheme in the double-well potential.