Summary form only given. Quantum theory predicts that Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of a spatially homogeneous gas with attractive interactions is precluded by a conventional phase transition into either a liquid or solid. When confined to a trap, however, such a condensate can form provided that its occupation number No does not exceed a limiting value. The stability limit is determined by a balance between self-attraction and a repulsion arising from position-momentum uncertainty under conditions of spatial confinement. Near the stability limit, self-attraction can overwhelm the repulsion, causing the condensate to collapse. Growth of the condensate, therefore, is punctuated by intermittent collapses, which are triggered either by macroscopic quantum tunneling or thermal fluctuation. The data presented here are the first direct observations of the growth and collapse of Bose Einstein condensates with attractive interactions.Summary form only given. Quantum theory predicts that Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of a spatially homogeneous gas with attractive interactions is precluded by a conventional phase transition into either a liquid or solid. When confined to a trap, however, such a condensate can form provided that its occupation number No does not exceed a limiting value. The stability limit is determined by a balance between self-attraction and a repulsion arising from position-momentum uncertainty under conditions of spatial confinement. Near the stability limit, self-attraction can overwhelm the repulsion, causing the condensate to collapse. Growth of the condensate, therefore, is punctuated by intermittent collapses, which are triggered either by macroscopic quantum tunneling or thermal fluctuation. The data presented here are the first direct observations of the growth and collapse of Bose Einstein condensates with attractive interactions.

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science ConferenceNov 13, 20022 citations

Stability of a Bose-Einstein condensate in an anharmonic trap

Barnali Chakrabarti, Tapan Kumar Das, Pankaj Kumar Debnath

We study the stability of Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) with repulsive and attractive interatomic interactions in a harmonic plus quartic trap $[V(r)=\frac{1}{2}m{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{2}{r}^{2}+\ensuremath{\lambda}{r}^{4}]$. We find that BEC with repulsive interaction becomes more stable for $\ensuremath{\lambda}>0$. For $\ensuremath{\lambda}<0$, we observe a different metastability of the condensate even when the scattering length is positive. For BEC with attractive interaction, we observe dramatic change in the stability factor $\frac{{A}_{\text{cr}}|{a}_{\text{sc}}|}{{a}_{\text{ho}}}$ due to the anharmonicity. The frequencies of the collective excitations are also modified by the atomic interaction and by the anharmonicity.We study the stability of Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) with repulsive and attractive interatomic interactions in a harmonic plus quartic trap $[V(r)=\frac{1}{2}m{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{2}{r}^{2}+\ensuremath{\lambda}{r}^{4}]$. We find that BEC with repulsive interaction becomes more stable for $\ensuremath{\lambda}>0$. For $\ensuremath{\lambda}<0$, we observe a different metastability of the condensate even when the scattering length is positive. For BEC with attractive interaction, we observe dramatic change in the stability factor $\frac{{A}_{\text{cr}}|{a}_{\text{sc}}|}{{a}_{\text{ho}}}$ due to the anharmonicity. The frequencies of the collective excitations are also modified by the atomic interaction and by the anharmonicity.

Physical Review AMay 18, 200923 citations

Collapsing dynamics of attractive Bose–Einstein condensates

Luc Bergé, J Juul Rasmussen

arXiv:physics/0012004Physics Letters ANov 1, 200218 citations

Controlled Collapse of a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Jacob Roberts, N. R. Claussen, Simon L. Cornish +3 more

The point of instability of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) due to attractive interactions was studied. Stable 85Rb BECs were created and then caused to collapse by slowly changing the atom-atom interaction from repulsive to attractive using a Feshbach resonance. At a critical value, an abrupt transition was observed in which atoms were ejected from the condensate. By measuring the onset of this transition as a function of number and attractive interaction strength, we determined the stability condition to be N(absolute value of a) / a(ho) = 0.459+/-0.012+/-0.054, slightly lower than the predicted value of 0.574.The point of instability of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) due to attractive interactions was studied. Stable 85Rb BECs were created and then caused to collapse by slowly changing the atom-atom interaction from repulsive to attractive using a Feshbach resonance. At a critical value, an abrupt transition was observed in which atoms were ejected from the condensate. By measuring the onset of this transition as a function of number and attractive interaction strength, we determined the stability condition to be N(absolute value of a) / a(ho) = 0.459+/-0.012+/-0.054, slightly lower than the predicted value of 0.574.

arXiv:cond-mat/0102116Physical Review LettersMay 7, 2001439 citations

\frac{{A}_{\text{cr}}|{a}_{\text{sc}}|}{{a}_{\text{ho}}}

due to the anharmonicity. The frequencies of the collective excitations are also modified by the atomic interaction and by the anharmonicity.