Abstract In the next few chapters we cover some further techniques based on NLS-type equations by focusing on a particularly attractive application in atomic physics: Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). The mean-field dynamics of BECs can be modeled by the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation which is a generalization of the NLS equation that includes an external potential. In this chapter we introduce BECs and some basic properties of the GP equation. In particular, we show how the external potential may render the, originally 3D, BEC into an effective 1D or 2D system. We also describe the large mass (Thomas-Fermi) limit and the low mass (linear) limit.
Abstract In the next few chapters we cover some further techniques based on NLS-type equations by focusing on a particularly attractive application in atomic physics: Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). The mean-field dynamics of BECs can be modeled by the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation which is a generalization of the NLS equation that includes an external potential. In this chapter we introduce BECs and some basic properties of the GP equation. In particular, we show how the external potential may render the, originally 3D, BEC into an effective 1D or 2D system. We also describe the large mass (Thomas-Fermi) limit and the low mass (linear) limit.
This chapter introduces the fundamental concepts of Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs), providing a comprehensive theoretical foundation for subsequent investigation on their localization and numerical simulation. It begins with a historical overview of BECs, tracing their theoretical origins and experimental realization. The chapter then focuses on the theoretical perspective of scalar BECs and how it can be modelled by a single-component Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation in the mean-field description, a variable-coefficient nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation encompassing a trapping potential and interatomic interaction. The mean-field description is then extended to govern the dynamics of vectorial condensates described by a coupled GP equation with intra and inter-species (atomic) interactions. Subsequently, the chapter discusses the origin of fermionic condensates, highlighting their distinct pairing mechanisms. Beyond mean-field approaches are then introduced to address the limitations of the GP framework, incorporating quantum fluctuations and correlations. The chapter concludes with an outline of the textbook, setting the stage for analytical and numerical investigations of ultracold atoms in ensuing chapters.
This chapter focuses on exploring localized excitations in the variable coefficient nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation and its generalizations. The motivation comes from the fact that the NLS equation and its variants appear in several branches/topics of physics, including nonlinear optics and Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). The chapter reviews critically the variety of matter wave solitons and their interactions in single- and multi-component Bose-Einstein condensates. It provides a brief overview of the mean Gross- Pitaevskii (GP) equation, derivation of the one-dimensional GP equation, and mapping of the 1D GP equation to the standard NLS equation. The chapter discusses matter wave single and multi bright and dark solitons of Bose– Einstein condensates with varying trap potentials and atomic interactions. It shows various solitons solutions of multi-component BECs described by the two coupled GP equations. In this case, the coupled GP equation has been mapped onto a two coupled NLS equation.
Abstract By exact numerical solutions of the Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation in 3D, we assess the validity of 1D and 2D approximations in the study of Bose–Einstein condensates confined in harmonic trap potentials. Typically, these approximations are performed when one or more of the harmonic frequencies are much greater than the remaining ones, using arguments based on the adiabatic evolution of the initial approximated state. Deviations from the 3D solution are evaluated as a function of both the effective interaction strength and the ratio between the trap frequencies that define the reduced dimension where the condensate is confined. The observables analyzed are both of stationary and dynamical character, namely, the chemical potential, the wave function profiles, and the time evolution of the approximated 1D and 2D stationary states, considered as initial states in the 3D GP equation. Our study, besides setting quantitative limits on approximations previously developed, should be useful in actual experimental studies where quasi-1D and quasi-2D conditions are assumed. From a qualitative perspective, 1D and 2D approximations certainly become valid when the anisotropy is large, but in addition the interaction strength needs to be above a certain threshold.
L Pitaevskii and S Stringari Oxford: Oxford University Press (2003) £55.50 (hardback), ISBN 0-19-850719-4 The Gross--Pitaevskii equation, named after one of the authors of the book, and its large number of applications for describing the properties of Bose--Einstein condensation (BEC) in trapped weakly interacting atomic gases, is the main topic of this book. In total the monograph comprises 18 chapters and is divided into two parts. Part I introduces the notion of BEC and superfluidity in general terms. The most important properties of the ideal and the weakly interacting Bose gas are described and the effects of nonuniformity due to an external potential at zero temperature are studied. The first part is then concluded with a summary of the properties of superfluid 4He. In Part II the authors describe the theoretical aspects of BEC in harmonically trapped weakly interacting atomic gases. A short and rather rudimentary chapter on collisions and trapping of atomic gases which seems to be included for completeness only is followed by a detailed analysis of the ground state,\newpage\noindent collective excitations, thermodynamics, and vortices as well as mixtures of BECs and the Josephson effect in BEC. Finally, the last three chapters deal with topics of more recent interest like BEC in optical lattices, low dimensional systems, and cold Fermi gases. The book is well written and in fact it provides numerous useful and important relations between the different properties of a BEC and covers most of the aspects of ultracold weakly interacting atomic gases from the point of view of condensed matter physics. The book contains a comprehensive introduction to BEC for physicists new to the field as well as a lot of detail and insight for those already familiar with this area. I therefore recommend it to everyone who is interested in BEC. Very clearly however, the intention of the book is not to provide prospects for applications of BEC in atomic physics, quantum optics or quantum state engineering and therefore the more practically oriented reader might sometimes wonder why exactly an equation is termed useful or important.
Bose–Einstein Condensation (BEC) of atomic gases has attracted a renewed theoretical and experimental interest in quantum many-body systems at extremely low temperatures (Pethick & Smith; 2002). This excitement stems from two favorable features: (1) by applying magnetic fields and lasers, most of the system parameters, such as the shape, dimensionality, internal states of the condensates, and even the strength of the interatomic interactions, are controllable; (2) due to the diluteness, the mean-field theory explains experiments quite well. In particular, the Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation demonstrates its validity as a basic equation for the condensate dynamics. The GP equation is the counterpart of the nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation in nonlinear optics. Thus, a study based on nonlinear analysis is possible and important. In nonlinear physics, a soliton is remarkable object not only for the fact that exact solutions can be obtained but also for its usefulness as a communications tool due to its robustness. In general, solitons are formed under the balance between nonlinearity and dispersion. For atomic condensates, the former is attributed to the interatomic interactions, while the latter comes from the kinetic energy. Either dark or bright solitons are allowable depending on the positive or negative sign of the interatomic coupling constants g, respectively, and indeed have been observed in a quasione-dimensional (q1D) optically constructed waveguide (Strecker et al.; 2002) (Khaykovich et al.; 2002). Such matter-wave solitons are expected in atom optics for applications in atom laser, atom interferometry, and coherent atom transport (Meystre; 2002). In this chapter, we extend the analysis of the matter-wave solitons to a multicomponent case by considering the so-called spinor condensate (Stenger et al.; 1998) whose spin degrees of freedom are liberated under optical traps. Based on theoretical and experimental results, we introduce a new integrable model which describes the dynamical properties of the matter-wave soliton of spinor condensates (Ieda et al.; 2004a). We employ the inverse scattering method to solve this model exactly. As a result, we predict the occurrence of undiscovered physical phenomena such as macroscopic spin precession and spin switching. The chapter is organized as follows. In Sec. 2, the mean field theory of condensate is briefly reviewed. Section 3 introduces an effective interatomic coupling in a q1D condensate. Using these results, we consider a spinor condensate in q1D regime in Sec. 4. Then, in Sec. 5, we