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Physical Review E

Interaction forces among two-dimensional bright solitons and many-soliton molecules

Usama Al Khawaja

Published May 14, 2012• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We consider two-dimensional bright matter-wave solitons in two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates. From the asymptotic form of their wave function, we derive an analytic expression for the force of interaction between solitons in the large separation limit, which turns out to decay with solitons separation Δ as F(Δ)∝exp(-Δ)/√Δ. Simulating the dynamics of two solitons using the relevant Gross-Pitaevskii equation, we obtain the force of the interaction for the full range of Δ, which turns out to be of molecular type. We show that many-soliton molecules can exist as a result of such a molecular-type of interaction. These include string-shaped, ring-shaped, or regular-lattice-shaped soliton molecules. By calculating their binding energy, we investigate the stability of these structures. Contrary to one-dimensional soliton molecules, which have no binding energy, two-dimensional molecules of a lattice of solitons with alternating phases are robust and have a negative binding energy. Lattices of size larger than 2 × 2 solitons have many discrete equilibrium values of the separation between two neighboring solitons.

DOI
10.1103/physreve.85.056604

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We consider two-dimensional bright matter-wave solitons in two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates. From the asymptotic form of their wave function, we derive an analytic expression for the force of interaction between solitons in the large separation limit, which turns out to decay with solitons separation Δ as F(Δ)∝exp(-Δ)/√Δ. Simulating the dynamics of two solitons using the relevant Gross-Pitaevskii equation, we obtain the force of the interaction for the full range of Δ, which turns out to be of molecular type. We show that many-soliton molecules can exist as a result of such a molecular-type of interaction. These include string-shaped, ring-shaped, or regular-lattice-shaped soliton molecules. By calculating their binding energy, we investigate the stability of these structures. Contrary to one-dimensional soliton molecules, which have no binding energy, two-dimensional molecules of a lattice of solitons with alternating phases are robust and have a negative binding energy. Lattices of size larger than 2 × 2 solitons have many discrete equilibrium values of the separation between two neighboring solitons.
We present a theoretical analysis of three-dimensional (3D) matter-wave solitons and their stability properties in coupled atomic and molecular Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). The soliton solutions to the mean-field equations are obtained in an approximate analytical form by means of a variational approach. We investigate soliton stability within the parameter space described by the atom-molecule conversion coupling, the atom-atom sss-wave scattering, and the bare formation energy of the molecular species. In terms of ordinary optics, this is analogous to the process of sub- or second-harmonic generation in a quadratic nonlinear medium modified by a cubic nonlinearity, together with a phase mismatch term between the fields. While the possibility of formation of multidimensional spatiotemporal solitons in pure quadratic media has been theoretically demonstrated previously, here we extend this prediction to matter-wave interactions in BEC systems where higher-order nonlinear processes due to interparticle collisions are unavoidable and may not be neglected. The stability of the solitons predicted for repulsive atom-atom interactions is investigated by direct numerical simulations of the equations of motion in a full 3D lattice. Our analysis also leads to a possible technique for demonstrating the ground state of the Schr\"odinger-Newton and related equations that describe Bose-Einstein condensates with nonlocal interparticle forces.
Abstract Analytic expressions have been derived for the interaction potential between dipolar bright solitons and the binding energy of a two-soliton molecule. The properties of these localized structures are explored with a focus on their behavior in the weakly bound regime, with a small binding energy. Using the variational approach a coupled system of ordinary differential equations for the parameters of a soliton molecule is obtained for the description of their evolution. Predictions of the model are compared with numerical simulations of the governing nonlocal Gross–Pitaevskii equation and good qualitative agreement between them is demonstrated.
Motivated by recent experimental results, we present a systematic theoretical analysis of dark-bright-soliton interactions and multiple-dark-bright-soliton complexes in atomic two-component Bose-Einstein condensates. We study analytically the interactions between two dark-bright solitons in a homogeneous condensate and then extend our considerations to the presence of the trap. We illustrate the existence of robust stationary dark-bright-soliton ``molecules,'' composed of two or more solitons, which are formed due to the competition of the interaction forces between the dark- and bright-soliton components and the trap force. Our analysis is based on an effective equation of motion, derived for the distance between two dark-bright solitons. This equation provides equilibrium positions and characteristic oscillation frequencies of the solitons, which are found to be in good agreement with the eigenfrequencies of the anomalous modes of the system.
The interaction between two bright solitons in a one-dimensional dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is investigated, with the aim of finding the regimes where they form a stable bound state, known as the soliton molecule. To study soliton interactions in BECs we employed a method similar to that used in experimental investigation of the interaction between solitons in optical fibers. The idea consists in creating two solitons at some spatial separation from each other at initial time t0{t}_{0}t0​ and then measuring the distance between them at a later time t1>t0{t}_{1}>{t}_{0}t1​>t0​. Depending on whether the distance between solitons has increased, decreased, or remained unchanged, compared to its initial value at t0{t}_{0}t0​, we conclude that the soliton interaction was repulsive, attractive, or neutral, respectively. We propose an experimentally viable method for estimating the binding energy of a soliton molecule, based on its dissociation at critical soliton velocity. Our theoretical analysis is based on the variational approach, which appears to be quite accurate in describing the properties of soliton molecules in dipolar BECs, as reflected in the good agreement between the analytical and the numerical results.
By numerical and variational analysis of the three-dimensional Gross–Pitaevskii equation, we study the formation and dynamics of bright and vortex-bright solitons in a cigar-shaped dipolar Bose–Einstein condensate for large repulsive atomic interactions. A phase diagram showing the region of stability of the solitons is obtained. We also study the dynamics of breathing oscillation of the solitons as well as the collision dynamics of two solitons. At large velocities the frontal collision is elastic and the two three-dimensional solitons pass through each other undeformed. Two solitons placed side by side at rest coalesce to form a stable bound soliton molecule due to dipolar attraction. Movie clips illustrating collision and molecule-formation dynamics of two bright and vortex-bright solitons are included.
We propose an experiment for forming matter-wave soliton molecules. In the proposed setup, we show that if two solitons are initially prepared in phase and with a sufficiently small separation and relative velocity, a bound pair will always form. This is verified by direct numerical simulation of the Gross–Pitaevskii equation and by the derivation of the exact interaction energy of two solitons, which takes the form of a Morse potential. This interaction potential depends not only on the separation but also on the relative phase of the solitons and is essential for an analytical treatment of a host of other problems, such as the soliton gas and the Toda lattice of solitons.