The Bose-Einstein condensates in a finite depth potential well provide an ideal platform to study the quantum escape dynamics. In this paper, the ground state, tunneling, and diffusion dynamics of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) of Bose-Einstein condensates with two pseudospin components in a shallow trap are studied analytically and numerically. The phase transition between the plane-wave phase and zero-momentum phase of the ground state is obtained. Furthermore, the stability of the ground state is discussed, and the stability diagram in the parameter space is provided. The bound state (in which condensates are stably trapped in the potential well), the quasibound state (in which condensates tunnel through the well), and the unstable state (in which diffusion occurs) are revealed. We find that the finite depth potential well has an important effect on the phase transition of the ground state, and, interestingly, SOC can stabilize the system against the diffusion and manipulate the tunneling and diffusion dynamics. In particular, spatial anisotropic tunneling and diffusion dynamics of the two pseudospin components induced by SOC in quasibound and unstable states are observed. We provide an effective model and method to study and control the quantum tunneling and diffusion dynamics.
The Bose-Einstein condensates in a finite depth potential well provide an ideal platform to study the quantum escape dynamics. In this paper, the ground state, tunneling, and diffusion dynamics of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) of Bose-Einstein condensates with two pseudospin components in a shallow trap are studied analytically and numerically. The phase transition between the plane-wave phase and zero-momentum phase of the ground state is obtained. Furthermore, the stability of the ground state is discussed, and the stability diagram in the parameter space is provided. The bound state (in which condensates are stably trapped in the potential well), the quasibound state (in which condensates tunnel through the well), and the unstable state (in which diffusion occurs) are revealed. We find that the finite depth potential well has an important effect on the phase transition of the ground state, and, interestingly, SOC can stabilize the system against the diffusion and manipulate the tunneling and diffusion dynamics. In particular, spatial anisotropic tunneling and diffusion dynamics of the two pseudospin components induced by SOC in quasibound and unstable states are observed. We provide an effective model and method to study and control the quantum tunneling and diffusion dynamics.
We analytically and numerically discuss the dynamics of two pseudospin components Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in deep optical lattices. Rich localized phenomena, such as breathers, solitons, self-trapping, and diffusion, are revealed and strongly depend on the strength of the atomic interaction, SOC, Raman detuning, and the spin polarization (i.e., the initial population difference of atoms between the two pseudospin components of BECs). The critical conditions for the transition of localized states are derived analytically. Based on the critical conditions, the detailed dynamical phase diagram describing the different dynamical regimes is derived. When the Raman detuning satisfies a critical condition, localized states with a fixed initial spin polarization can be observed. When the critical condition is not satisfied, we use two quenching methods, i.e., suddenly and linearly quenching Raman detuning from the soliton or breather state, to discuss the spin dynamics, phase transition, and wave packet dynamics by numerical simulation. The sudden quenching results in a damped oscillation of spin polarization and transforms the system to a new polarized state. Interestingly, the linear quenching of Raman detuning induces a controllable phase transition from an unpolarized phase to an expected polarized phase, while the soliton or breather dynamics is maintained.
Abstract We theoretically investigate quantum tunnelling escape of a spin–orbit (SO)-coupled Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) from a trapping well. The condensate is initially prepared in a quasi-one-dimensional harmonic trap. Depending on the system parameters, the ground state can fall in different phases—single minimum, separated or stripe. Then, suddenly the trapping well is opened at one side. The subsequent dynamics of the condensate is studied by solving nonlinear Schrödinger equations. We found that the diverse phases will greatly change the tunneling escape behavior of SO-coupled BECs. In the single minimum and separated phases, the condensate escapes the trapping well continuously, while in the stripe phase it escapes the well as an array of pulses. We also found that SO coupling has a suppressing effect on the tunnelling escape of atoms. Especially, for BECs without inter-atom interaction, the tunnelling escape can be almost completely eliminated when the system is tuned near the transition point between the single minimum and stripe phases. Our work thus suggests that SO coupling may be a useful tool to control the tunnelling dynamics of BECs, and potentially be applied in the realization of atom lasers and matter wave switches.
By variational analysis and direct numerical simulation, we study the phase transition and stability of a trapped D-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate with spin-orbit coupling. The complete phase and stability diagrams of the system are presented in full parameter space, while the collapse dynamics induced by the mean-filed attraction and the mechanism for stabilizing the collapse by spin-orbit coupling are illustrated explicitly. Particularly, a full and deep understanding of the dependence of phase transition and stability mechanism on geometric dimensionality and external trap potential is revealed. It is shown that the spin-orbit coupling can modify the dispersion relations, which can balance the mean-filed attractive interaction and result in a spin polarized or overlapped state to stabilize the collapse, then changes the collapsing threshold dependent on the geometric dimensionality and external trap potential. Moreover, from 2D to 3D system, the mean-field attraction for inducing the collapse is reduced and the collapse speed is enhanced, namely, the collapse can be more easily stabilized in 2D system. That is, the collapse can be manipulated by adjusting the spin-orbit coupling, Raman coupling, geometric dimensionality and the external trap potential, which can provide a possible way for elaborating the collapse dynamics experimentally.
The interplay of quantum fluctuation through the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) correction and spin-orbit coupling can modify the stability of the ultradilute Bose-Bose mixtures and result in rich nonlinear physics. Here, under the action of spin-orbit coupling, LHY correction, and rotation, the ground state and vortex excitation of spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) with LHY correction trapped in a rotating potential are studied. Stable isotropic and anisotropic ground states with zero momentum (in the zero-momentum phase) and nonzero momentum (in the plane wave phase) are obtained. It is shown that anisotropic ground states are persistent near the phase boundary. Particularly, unpolarized and polarized vortex states are predicted. The phase transition condition, the effective mass and quadrupole surface mode describing the anisotropic (deformation) of the condensates, and the critical rotation frequency for vortex excitation are provided analytically. Owing to the action of spin-orbit coupling, the effective mass of the condensates is spatially dependent and asymmetric in two phases, resulting in distinct quadrupole modes, deformations, and vortex excitations in the two phases, especially when the LHY correction is present. The LHY correction promotes the system in the zero-momentum phase with unpolarized vortex states, while the spin-orbit coupling promotes the emergence of a plane wave phase with polarized vortex states. The phase transition and vortex excitation can be well manipulated by spin-orbit coupling, Raman coupling, LHY correction, and external potential.
We study the collective dynamics of the spin-orbit coupled two pseudospin components of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a quasi-one-dimensional harmonic potential, by using variational and directly numerical approach of binary mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii equations. The results show that, because of strong coupling of spin-orbit coupling (SOC), Rabi coupling, and atomic interaction, the collective dynamics of the system behave as complex characters. When the Rabi coupling is absent, the density profiles of the system preserve the Gauss type and the wave packets do harmonic oscillations. The amplitude of the collective oscillations increases with SOC. Furthermore, when the SOC strength increases, the dipole oscillations of the two pseudospin components undergo a transition from in-phase to out-of-phase oscillations. When the Rabi coupling present, there will exist a critical value of SOC strength (which depends on the Rabi coupling and atomic interaction). If the SOC strength is less than this critical value, the density profiles of the system can preserve the Gauss type and the wave packets do anharmonic (the frequency of dipole oscillations depends on SOC) oscillations synchronously (i.e., in-phase oscillations). However, if the SOC strength is larger than this critical value, the wave packets are dynamically fragmented and the stable dipole oscillations of the system can not exist. The collective dynamics of the system can be controlled by adjusting the atomic interaction, SOC, and Rabi-coupling strength.
The stability of Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) loaded into a two-dimensional shallow harmonic potential well is studied. By using the variational method, the ground state properties for interacting BECs in the shallow trap are discussed. It is shown that the possible stable bound state can exist. The depth of the shallow well plays an important role in stabilizing the BECs. The stability of BECs in the shallow trap with the periodic modulating of atom interaction by using the Feshbach resonance is also discussed. The results show that the collapse and diffusion of BECs in a shallow trap can be controlled by the temporal modulation of the scattering length.