Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics
Establishment of phase between coupled Bose-Einstein condensates
Jacob Dunningham, Keith R. Burnett
Abstract
We study how phase information is developed and transferred between Bose-Einstein condensates. First, we investigate how the phase of an output pulse of an idealized atom laser can be controlled. We then use quantum simulations to show how a relative phase between coupled systems is established by dissipation and atomic interactions. Our simulations show that each realization settles to the same relative phase between modes: for uncoupled systems the phase varies from realization to realization. We use this to demonstrate how condensates may `naturally' possess a relative phase, and to explain the phase-locking mechanism in a recent experimental demonstration of a mode-locked atom laser.