Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Quantum reflection of vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates

M. Liu, L. She, Hongwei Xiong, Mingsheng Zhan

Published Oct 26, 2006• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We consider the quantum reflection of vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates incident on a solid surface. Compared with the condensate without angular momentum, the rotation of the vortex gives unique opportunities to consider the interaction process between a matter wave and a solid surface. Due to the atom-surface interaction and dynamic excitations induced by interatomic interaction, our numerical simulations show that the reflected vortex would become unstable for sufficiently low velocity and large interaction strength. The stability diagram for the reflected vortex is given, and physical mechanism for this stability diagram is discussed. It is found that the expansion ratio between the reflected and incident vortices gives the boundary between stable and unstable regions for the reflected vortex.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.74.043619

Related papers

Anomalous Quantum Reflection of Bose-Einstein Condensates from a Silicon Surface: The Role of Dynamical Excitations

R. G. Scott, A. Martin, T. M. Fromhold +1 more

We investigate the effect of interatomic interactions on the quantum-mechanical reflection of Bose-Einstein condensates from regions of rapid potential variation. The reflection process depends critically on the density and incident velocity of the condensate. For low densities and high velocities, the atom cloud has almost the same form before and after reflection. Conversely, at high densities and low velocities, the reflection process generates solitons and vortex rings that fragment the condensate. We show that this fragmentation can explain the anomalously low reflection probabilities recently measured for low-velocity condensates incident on a silicon surface.

arXiv:cond-mat/0412380•Physical Review Letters•Aug 11, 2005•48 citations

Coherent disintegration and stability of vortices in trapped Bose condensates

Han Pu, C. K. Law, Joseph H. Eberly +1 more

We consider the intrinsic stability of the vortex states of a pure Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a harmonic potential under the effects of a coherent atom-atom interaction. We find that stable vortices can be supported and vortex stability can be controlled by changing the interparticle interaction strength. At unstable regimes, a vortex will spontaneously disintegrate into states with different angular momenta even without external perturbations, with the lifetime determined by its imaginary excitation frequencies.

arXiv:cond-mat/9807362•Physical Review A•Feb 1, 1999•157 citations

Transmission and reflection of Bose-Einstein condensates incident on a Gaussian tunnel barrier

A. Martin, R. G. Scott, T. M. Fromhold

We investigate how Bose-Einstein condensates, whose initial state is either irrotational or contains a single vortex, scatter off a one-dimensional Gaussian tunnel barrier. We find that for low atom densities the vortex structure within the condensate is maintained during scattering, whereas at medium and high densities, multiple additional vortices can be created by the scattering process, resulting in complex dynamics and disruption of the atom cloud. This disruption originates from two different mechanisms associated, respectively, with the initial rotation of the atom cloud and the interference between the incident and reflected matter waves.

arXiv:cond-mat/0610053•Physical Review A•Jun 28, 2007•19 citations

Quantum reflection of Bose-Einstein Condensates

Thomas A. Pasquini

Recent developments in atom optics have brought Bose-Einstein condensates within 1 μm of solid surfaces where the atom-surface interactions can no longer be ignored. At longrange, the atom-surface interaction is described by the weakly attractive Casimir-Polder potential which is classically predicted to accelerate an incident atom toward the surface where it will interact strongly with the internal modes of the surface, lose energy, and land in a bound state of the surface. When the incident atom is very cold, on the order of a few nanokelvin, however, the acceleration of the atomic wavefunction is so abrupt that the atom may partially reflect from the attractive tail in a process known as quantum reflection. This work presents experimental evidence for quantum reflection from a solid surface at normal incidence. Using atoms from a 23Na BEC, cooled to a few nanokelvin in a recently demonstrated single-coil trap, controlled collisions were induced between atoms and solid silicon surface. A maximum reflection probability of ∼ 12% was observed for an incident velocity of 1 mm/s. Atoms confined against the surface at low density exhibited an enhanced lifetime due to quantum reflection. A surprising aspect of quantum reflection is that nano-structured surfaces are predicted to exhibit enhanced quantum reflection due to the reduction of the atom-surface interaction from reduced density surfaces. Using a pillared surface with an density reduced to 1% of bulk density, we observe an enhancement of the reflection probability to ∼ 60%. At velocities from 2-25 mm/s, predicted threshold dependence of the reflection probability was observed. At velocities below 2 mm/s, the reflection probability was observed to saturate. We develop a simple model which predicts the saturation as a result of mean-field interactions between atoms in the incident Bose-Einstein condensate. Thesis Supervisor: Wolfgang Ketterle Title: John D. MacAurthur Professor of Physics Thesis Supervisor: David E. Pritchard Title: Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics For the parents in my life,

•Jan 1, 2007•0 citations

Interaction quench dynamics and stability of quantum vortices in rotating Bose-Einstein condensates

L. A. Machado, B. Chatterjee, M. A. Caracanhas +3 more

We theoretically investigate the non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum vortices in a two-dimensional rotating Bose-Einstein condensate following an interaction quench. Using an ab initio and numerically exact quantum many-body approach, we systematically tune the interplay between interaction strength and angular velocity to prepare quantum vortices in various configurations and examine their post-quench dynamics. Our study reveals distinct dynamical regimes: First, vortex distortion accompanied by density cloud fragmentation, matching the initial vortex number and second, vortex revival, where fragmented densities interact and merge. Notably, we observe complete vortex revival dynamics in the single-vortex case, pseudo-revival in double and triple vortex configurations, and chaotic many-body dynamics in systems with multiple vortices. Our results reveal a universal out-of-equilibrium response of quantum vortices to interaction quenches, highlighting the importance of many-body effects with a possible exploration in quantum simulation with ultracold quantum fluids.

arXiv:2504.00749•Physical Review A•Jul 7, 2025•3 citations

STABILITY AND DYNAMICS OF QUANTIZED VORTICES IN GASEOUS BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATES

Jukka Huhtamäki

Bose-Einstein condensation is a quantum statistical phase transition which was theoretically predicted almost a hundred years ago. After years of seminal research, physicists realized the first almost ideal Bose-Einstein condensates in ultracold dilute atomic gases in 1995. Since then, the theoretical and experimental methods concerning such systems have been developing rapidly, and many fascinating phenomena have been found in these novel quantum systems.\n\nBose-Einstein condensation occurs in a system consisting of massive bosons when a single quantum state becomes macroscopically occupied as the temperature is lowered below the transition temperature. In general, condensates consisting of repulsively interacting bosons exhibit superfluidity: Particle currents can flow in the system without dissipation and viscosity. Moreover, the velocity fields of condensates have to be irrotational, which severely restricts the rotational characteristics of these systems. Apart from the center of mass motion, the system may carry angular momentum in the form of elementary excitations or so-called quantized vortices.\n\nThis Thesis is a theoretical study of subjects related to stability and dynamics of quantized vortices in dilute atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. The precession and instability of off-centered vortices in trapped condensates is investigated both in the zero-temperature limit and at finite temperatures. Dynamical stability of multiply quantized vortices and vortex clusters is studied in axisymmetric trap geometries. Splitting of energetically and dynamically unstable multiply quantized vortices into singly quantized vortices is also studied. Finally, as a separate subject, tunneling of a condensate through a potential barrier is investigated. Majority of this work relies on numerical methods for solving the Gross-Pitaevskii and Bogoliubov equations, which are of central importance in the study of dilute atomic Bose-Einstein condensates.

•Mar 7, 2008•0 citations
We consider the quantum reflection of vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates incident on a solid surface. Compared with the condensate without angular momentum, the rotation of the vortex gives unique opportunities to consider the interaction process between a matter wave and a solid surface. Due to the atom-surface interaction and dynamic excitations induced by interatomic interaction, our numerical simulations show that the reflected vortex would become unstable for sufficiently low velocity and large interaction strength. The stability diagram for the reflected vortex is given, and physical mechanism for this stability diagram is discussed. It is found that the expansion ratio between the reflected and incident vortices gives the boundary between stable and unstable regions for the reflected vortex.
We investigate the effect of interatomic interactions on the quantum-mechanical reflection of Bose-Einstein condensates from regions of rapid potential variation. The reflection process depends critically on the density and incident velocity of the condensate. For low densities and high velocities, the atom cloud has almost the same form before and after reflection. Conversely, at high densities and low velocities, the reflection process generates solitons and vortex rings that fragment the condensate. We show that this fragmentation can explain the anomalously low reflection probabilities recently measured for low-velocity condensates incident on a silicon surface.
We consider the intrinsic stability of the vortex states of a pure Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a harmonic potential under the effects of a coherent atom-atom interaction. We find that stable vortices can be supported and vortex stability can be controlled by changing the interparticle interaction strength. At unstable regimes, a vortex will spontaneously disintegrate into states with different angular momenta even without external perturbations, with the lifetime determined by its imaginary excitation frequencies.
We investigate how Bose-Einstein condensates, whose initial state is either irrotational or contains a single vortex, scatter off a one-dimensional Gaussian tunnel barrier. We find that for low atom densities the vortex structure within the condensate is maintained during scattering, whereas at medium and high densities, multiple additional vortices can be created by the scattering process, resulting in complex dynamics and disruption of the atom cloud. This disruption originates from two different mechanisms associated, respectively, with the initial rotation of the atom cloud and the interference between the incident and reflected matter waves.
Recent developments in atom optics have brought Bose-Einstein condensates within 1 μm of solid surfaces where the atom-surface interactions can no longer be ignored. At longrange, the atom-surface interaction is described by the weakly attractive Casimir-Polder potential which is classically predicted to accelerate an incident atom toward the surface where it will interact strongly with the internal modes of the surface, lose energy, and land in a bound state of the surface. When the incident atom is very cold, on the order of a few nanokelvin, however, the acceleration of the atomic wavefunction is so abrupt that the atom may partially reflect from the attractive tail in a process known as quantum reflection. This work presents experimental evidence for quantum reflection from a solid surface at normal incidence. Using atoms from a 23Na BEC, cooled to a few nanokelvin in a recently demonstrated single-coil trap, controlled collisions were induced between atoms and solid silicon surface. A maximum reflection probability of ∼ 12% was observed for an incident velocity of 1 mm/s. Atoms confined against the surface at low density exhibited an enhanced lifetime due to quantum reflection. A surprising aspect of quantum reflection is that nano-structured surfaces are predicted to exhibit enhanced quantum reflection due to the reduction of the atom-surface interaction from reduced density surfaces. Using a pillared surface with an density reduced to 1% of bulk density, we observe an enhancement of the reflection probability to ∼ 60%. At velocities from 2-25 mm/s, predicted threshold dependence of the reflection probability was observed. At velocities below 2 mm/s, the reflection probability was observed to saturate. We develop a simple model which predicts the saturation as a result of mean-field interactions between atoms in the incident Bose-Einstein condensate. Thesis Supervisor: Wolfgang Ketterle Title: John D. MacAurthur Professor of Physics Thesis Supervisor: David E. Pritchard Title: Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics For the parents in my life,
We theoretically investigate the non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum vortices in a two-dimensional rotating Bose-Einstein condensate following an interaction quench. Using an ab initio and numerically exact quantum many-body approach, we systematically tune the interplay between interaction strength and angular velocity to prepare quantum vortices in various configurations and examine their post-quench dynamics. Our study reveals distinct dynamical regimes: First, vortex distortion accompanied by density cloud fragmentation, matching the initial vortex number and second, vortex revival, where fragmented densities interact and merge. Notably, we observe complete vortex revival dynamics in the single-vortex case, pseudo-revival in double and triple vortex configurations, and chaotic many-body dynamics in systems with multiple vortices. Our results reveal a universal out-of-equilibrium response of quantum vortices to interaction quenches, highlighting the importance of many-body effects with a possible exploration in quantum simulation with ultracold quantum fluids.
Bose-Einstein condensation is a quantum statistical phase transition which was theoretically predicted almost a hundred years ago. After years of seminal research, physicists realized the first almost ideal Bose-Einstein condensates in ultracold dilute atomic gases in 1995. Since then, the theoretical and experimental methods concerning such systems have been developing rapidly, and many fascinating phenomena have been found in these novel quantum systems.\n\nBose-Einstein condensation occurs in a system consisting of massive bosons when a single quantum state becomes macroscopically occupied as the temperature is lowered below the transition temperature. In general, condensates consisting of repulsively interacting bosons exhibit superfluidity: Particle currents can flow in the system without dissipation and viscosity. Moreover, the velocity fields of condensates have to be irrotational, which severely restricts the rotational characteristics of these systems. Apart from the center of mass motion, the system may carry angular momentum in the form of elementary excitations or so-called quantized vortices.\n\nThis Thesis is a theoretical study of subjects related to stability and dynamics of quantized vortices in dilute atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. The precession and instability of off-centered vortices in trapped condensates is investigated both in the zero-temperature limit and at finite temperatures. Dynamical stability of multiply quantized vortices and vortex clusters is studied in axisymmetric trap geometries. Splitting of energetically and dynamically unstable multiply quantized vortices into singly quantized vortices is also studied. Finally, as a separate subject, tunneling of a condensate through a potential barrier is investigated. Majority of this work relies on numerical methods for solving the Gross-Pitaevskii and Bogoliubov equations, which are of central importance in the study of dilute atomic Bose-Einstein condensates.