© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

arXiv:2108.13095 · Physical Review A

Dynamics of thermalization of two tunnel-coupled one-dimensional quasicondensates

Francis A. Bayocboc, Matthew J. Davis, Karen V. Kheruntsyan

Published Aug 26, 2022• 10 citations

Abstract

We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of two tunnel-coupled one-dimensional quasicondensates following a quench of the coupling strength from zero to a fixed finite value. More specifically, starting from two independent quasicondensates in thermal equilibrium, with initial temperature and chemical potential imbalance, we suddenly switch on the tunnel-coupling and analyze the postquench equilibration in terms of particle number and energy imbalances. We find that, in certain parameter regimes, the net energy can flow from the colder quasicondensate to the hotter one and is governed by the surplus of low-energy particles flowing from the cold to the hot system relative to the high-energy particles flowing in the reverse direction. In all cases, the approach to the new thermal equilibrium occurs through transient, damped oscillations. We also find that, for a balanced initial state, the coupled quasicondensates can relax into a final thermal equilibrium state in which they display a thermal phase coherence length that is larger than their initial phase coherence length, even though the new equilibrium temperature is higher. The increase in the phase coherence length occurs due to phase locking which manifests itself via an increased degree of correlation between the local relative phases of the quasicondensates at two arbitrary points.

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.106.023320

Related papers

Relaxation to a Phase-Locked Equilibrium State in a One-Dimensional Bosonic Josephson Junction

Marine Pigneur, Tarik Berrada, Marie Bonneau +3 more

We present an experimental study on the nonequilibrium tunnel dynamics of two coupled one-dimensional Bose-Einstein quasicondensates deep in the Josephson regime. Josephson oscillations are initiated by splitting a single one-dimensional condensate and imprinting a relative phase between the superfluids. Regardless of the initial state and experimental parameters, the dynamics of the relative phase and atom number imbalance shows a relaxation to a phase-locked steady state. The latter is characterized by a high phase coherence and reduced fluctuations with respect to the initial state. We propose an empirical model based on the analogy with the anharmonic oscillator to describe the effect of various experimental parameters. A microscopic theory compatible with our observations is still missing.

arXiv:1711.06635•Physical Review Letters•Apr 27, 2018•124 citations

Dephasing–rephasing dynamics of one-dimensional tunneling quasicondensates

Andrea Tononi, Flavio Toigo, Sandro Wimberger +2 more

Abstract We study the quantum tunneling of two one-dimensional quasi-condensates made of alkali-metal atoms, considering two different tunneling configurations: side-by-side and head-to-tail. After deriving the quasiparticle excitation spectrum, we discuss the dynamics of the relative phase following a sudden coupling of the independent subsystems. In particular, we calculate the coherence factor of the system, which, due to the nonzero tunneling amplitude, it exhibits dephasing–rephasing oscillations instead of pure dephasing. These oscillations are enhanced by a higher tunneling energy, and by higher system densities. Our predictions provide a benchmark for future experiments at temperatures below T ≲ 5 nK.

arXiv:2003.11056•New Journal of Physics•May 26, 2020•9 citations

Thermalization of a quantum Newton's cradle in a one-dimensional quasicondensate

Kieran F. Thomas, Matthew J. Davis, Karen V. Kheruntsyan

We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of the quantum Newton's cradle in a one-dimensional (1D) Bose gas in the weakly interacting quasicondensate regime. This is the opposite regime to the original quantum Newton's cradle experiment of [Kinoshita et al., Nature 440, 900 (2006)], which was realized in the strongly interacting 1D Bose gas. Using finite temperature $c$-field methods, we calculate the characteristic relaxation rates to the final equilibrium state. Hence, we identify the different dynamical regimes of the system in the parameter space that characterizes the strength of interatomic interactions, the initial temperature, and the magnitude of the Bragg momentum used to initiate the collisional oscillations of the cradle. In all parameter regimes, we find that the system relaxes to a final equilibrium state for which the momentum distribution is consistent with a thermal distribution. For sufficiently large initial Bragg momentum, the system can undergo hundreds of repeated collisional oscillations before reaching the final thermal equilibrium. The corresponding thermalization timescales can reach tens of seconds, which is an order of magnitude smaller than in the strongly interacting regime.

arXiv:1811.01585•Physical Review A•Feb 15, 2021•30 citations

Coherence and Josephson oscillations between two tunnel-coupled one-dimensional atomic quasicondensates at finite temperature

Pjotrs Grišins, I. E. Mazets

We revisit the theory of tunnel-coupled atomic quasicondensates in double-well elongated traps at finite temperatures. Using the functional-integral approach, we calculate the relative-phase correlation function beyond the harmonic limit of small fluctuations of the relative phase and its conjugate relative-density variable. We show that the thermal fluctuations of the relative phase between the two quasicondensates decrease the frequency of Josephson oscillations and even wash out these oscillations for small values of the tunnel coupling.

arXiv:1206.3430•Physical Review A•Jan 24, 2013•12 citations

Finite-temperature hydrodynamics for one-dimensional Bose gases: Breathing-mode oscillations as a case study

Isabelle Bouchoule, Stuart S. Szigeti, Matthew J. Davis +1 more

We develop a finite-temperature hydrodynamic approach for a harmonically trapped one-dimensional quasicondensate and apply it to describe the phenomenon of frequency doubling in the breathing-mode oscillations of the quasicondensate momentum distribution. The doubling here refers to the oscillation frequency relative to the oscillations of the real-space density distribution, invoked by a sudden confinement quench. By constructing a nonequilibrium phase diagram that characterizes the regime of frequency doubling and its gradual disappearance, we find that this crossover is governed by the quench strength and the initial temperature rather than by the equilibrium-state crossover from the quasicondensate to the ideal Bose gas regime. The hydrodynamic predictions are supported by the results of numerical simulations based on a finite-temperature $c$-field approach and extend the utility of the hydrodynamic theory for low-dimensional quantum gases to the description of finite-temperature systems and their dynamics in momentum space.

arXiv:1602.07889•Physical Review A•Nov 7, 2016•47 citations

Phase dynamics after connection of two separate Bose-Einstein condensates

Ivar Zapata, Fernando Sols, A. J. Leggett

We study the dynamics of the relative phase following the connection of the two independently formed Bose-Einstein condensates. Dissipation is assumed to be due to the creation of quasiparticles induced by a fluctuating condensate particle number. The coherence between different values of the phase, which is characteristic of the initial Fock state, is quickly lost after the net exchange of a few atoms has taken place. This process effectively measures the phase and marks the onset of a semiclassical regime in which the system undergoes Bloch oscillations around the initial particle number. These fast oscillations excite quasiparticles within each condensate and the system relaxes at a longer time scale until it displays low-energy, damped, Josephson plasma oscillations, eventually coming to a halt when the equilibrium configuration is finally reached.

arXiv:cond-mat/0212604•Physical Review A•Feb 28, 2003•44 citations

We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of two tunnel-coupled one-dimensional quasicondensates following a quench of the coupling strength from zero to a fixed finite value. More specifically, starting from two independent quasicondensates in thermal equilibrium, with initial temperature and chemical potential imbalance, we suddenly switch on the tunnel-coupling and analyze the postquench equilibration in terms of particle number and energy imbalances. We find that, in certain parameter regimes, the net energy can flow from the colder quasicondensate to the hotter one and is governed by the surplus of low-energy particles flowing from the cold to the hot system relative to the high-energy particles flowing in the reverse direction. In all cases, the approach to the new thermal equilibrium occurs through transient, damped oscillations. We also find that, for a balanced initial state, the coupled quasicondensates can relax into a final thermal equilibrium state in which they display a thermal phase coherence length that is larger than their initial phase coherence length, even though the new equilibrium temperature is higher. The increase in the phase coherence length occurs due to phase locking which manifests itself via an increased degree of correlation between the local relative phases of the quasicondensates at two arbitrary points.

We present an experimental study on the nonequilibrium tunnel dynamics of two coupled one-dimensional Bose-Einstein quasicondensates deep in the Josephson regime. Josephson oscillations are initiated by splitting a single one-dimensional condensate and imprinting a relative phase between the superfluids. Regardless of the initial state and experimental parameters, the dynamics of the relative phase and atom number imbalance shows a relaxation to a phase-locked steady state. The latter is characterized by a high phase coherence and reduced fluctuations with respect to the initial state. We propose an empirical model based on the analogy with the anharmonic oscillator to describe the effect of various experimental parameters. A microscopic theory compatible with our observations is still missing.

Abstract We study the quantum tunneling of two one-dimensional quasi-condensates made of alkali-metal atoms, considering two different tunneling configurations: side-by-side and head-to-tail. After deriving the quasiparticle excitation spectrum, we discuss the dynamics of the relative phase following a sudden coupling of the independent subsystems. In particular, we calculate the coherence factor of the system, which, due to the nonzero tunneling amplitude, it exhibits dephasing–rephasing oscillations instead of pure dephasing. These oscillations are enhanced by a higher tunneling energy, and by higher system densities. Our predictions provide a benchmark for future experiments at temperatures below T ≲ 5 nK.

We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of the quantum Newton's cradle in a one-dimensional (1D) Bose gas in the weakly interacting quasicondensate regime. This is the opposite regime to the original quantum Newton's cradle experiment of [Kinoshita et al., Nature 440, 900 (2006)], which was realized in the strongly interacting 1D Bose gas. Using finite temperature

c

-field methods, we calculate the characteristic relaxation rates to the final equilibrium state. Hence, we identify the different dynamical regimes of the system in the parameter space that characterizes the strength of interatomic interactions, the initial temperature, and the magnitude of the Bragg momentum used to initiate the collisional oscillations of the cradle. In all parameter regimes, we find that the system relaxes to a final equilibrium state for which the momentum distribution is consistent with a thermal distribution. For sufficiently large initial Bragg momentum, the system can undergo hundreds of repeated collisional oscillations before reaching the final thermal equilibrium. The corresponding thermalization timescales can reach tens of seconds, which is an order of magnitude smaller than in the strongly interacting regime.

We revisit the theory of tunnel-coupled atomic quasicondensates in double-well elongated traps at finite temperatures. Using the functional-integral approach, we calculate the relative-phase correlation function beyond the harmonic limit of small fluctuations of the relative phase and its conjugate relative-density variable. We show that the thermal fluctuations of the relative phase between the two quasicondensates decrease the frequency of Josephson oscillations and even wash out these oscillations for small values of the tunnel coupling.

We develop a finite-temperature hydrodynamic approach for a harmonically trapped one-dimensional quasicondensate and apply it to describe the phenomenon of frequency doubling in the breathing-mode oscillations of the quasicondensate momentum distribution. The doubling here refers to the oscillation frequency relative to the oscillations of the real-space density distribution, invoked by a sudden confinement quench. By constructing a nonequilibrium phase diagram that characterizes the regime of frequency doubling and its gradual disappearance, we find that this crossover is governed by the quench strength and the initial temperature rather than by the equilibrium-state crossover from the quasicondensate to the ideal Bose gas regime. The hydrodynamic predictions are supported by the results of numerical simulations based on a finite-temperature

c

-field approach and extend the utility of the hydrodynamic theory for low-dimensional quantum gases to the description of finite-temperature systems and their dynamics in momentum space.

We study the dynamics of the relative phase following the connection of the two independently formed Bose-Einstein condensates. Dissipation is assumed to be due to the creation of quasiparticles induced by a fluctuating condensate particle number. The coherence between different values of the phase, which is characteristic of the initial Fock state, is quickly lost after the net exchange of a few atoms has taken place. This process effectively measures the phase and marks the onset of a semiclassical regime in which the system undergoes Bloch oscillations around the initial particle number. These fast oscillations excite quasiparticles within each condensate and the system relaxes at a longer time scale until it displays low-energy, damped, Josephson plasma oscillations, eventually coming to a halt when the equilibrium configuration is finally reached.