Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Scientific Reports

Ground state and dynamics of one-dimensional quantum droplets

Guan-Ting Lai, C.-H. Hsueh, W. C. Wu

Published Sep 26, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum droplets-arising from the delicate balance between repulsive and attractive interactions-continue to be of significant interest in the study of ultracold atomic systems. In this work, we revisit the ground-state properties and collective dynamics of one-dimensional quantum droplets. We identify a critical effective particle number, [Formula: see text], at which the superfluid fraction [Formula: see text] exhibits a distinct inflection point, indicating a structural transition in the ground state. For [Formula: see text], the density profile is sharply peaked, whereas for [Formula: see text], it flattens into a plateau-like shape well-approximated by the Thomas-Fermi model. Additionally, we show that super-Gaussian functions provide excellent fits to the ground-state density profiles, offering a simple and accurate modeling approach. To study the system's dynamical behavior, we develop an analytical framework for quantum droplets subjected to a periodic lattice potential. In the weak-lattice limit ([Formula: see text]), the excitation spectrum reveals a Goldstone gapless phonon mode, characteristic of superfluidity. However, at low densities, the inclusion of Lee-Huang-Yang corrections leads to phonon instabilities, consistent with the transition from a peak- to a plateau-like ground state. In the strong-lattice regime (large [Formula: see text]), a gap opens in the lowest excitation modes, suggesting a crossover from a superfluid to a Mott-insulating phase. Our findings should shed light on key aspects of a low-dimensional quantum droplet.

DOI
10.1038/s41598-025-16729-4

Related papers

Spectra and dynamics of three-dimensional lattice quantum droplets in Lee–Huang–Yang fluid

B. Xi, Kaihua Shao, Pu Tu +5 more

The spectral properties and dynamical behaviors of three-dimensional quantum droplets loaded in an optical lattice within a Lee–Huang–Yang fluid are investigated. Using a beyond-mean-field model combined with variational analysis and numerical simulations, we explore the system's ground states and dynamics. Our results demonstrate that lattice anisotropy and quantum fluctuations effectively tune the excitation spectrum and lift the degeneracy of the breathing modes. Through Floquet dynamics, we identify distinct nonlinear features, including higher-order harmonics and frequency-mixing modes. Quench dynamics studies show center-of-mass oscillations characterized by a linear frequency and an additional nonlinear frequency. Additionally, we find that the collision dynamics of droplet pairs strongly depend on their relative phase, resulting in diverse dynamical behaviors. These findings provide valuable insights for understanding and manipulating quantum droplets in optical lattices, offering some reference for exploring quantum fluctuations in periodically confined geometries.

Physics of Fluids•Feb 1, 2026•0 citations

One-dimensional asymmetrically interacting quantum droplets in Bose-Bose mixtures

Huiyun Xiao, Xinran Zhang, Junli Liu +3 more

We theoretically investigate ground-state properties and collective excitations of one-dimensional quantum droplets in asymmetric Bose-Bose mixtures with unequal intraspin interactions. Using the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation supported by variational, sum-rule, and linearization methods, we show that the intraspin interaction ratio substantially alters the droplet's density profile, driving a transition from Gaussian-like to flat-top shapes. By examining two experimentally relevant parameter regions, we analyze density profiles, radii, peak densities, and excitation spectra to distinguish quantum phases and to depict phase diagrams in the space of asymmetric interaction ratio and total atom number. We carefully study the frequencies of both well-known dipole and breathing modes and less-explored spin-dipole and spin-breathing modes. The breathing-mode frequency decreases monotonically with interaction ratio, approaching asymptotically the result of a conventional weakly interacting Bose gas. It varies nonmonotonically with total atom number, peaking at a critical point that highlights the crucial role of quantum fluctuations. In contrast, spin modes display distinct temporal spin density distributions and reveal in-phase and out-of-phase relative dynamics between components. Their frequencies depend instead monotonically on the interaction ratio and atom number. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of asymmetric quantum droplets and link to experimentally accessible regimes in ultracold $^{39}$K atomic gases.

arXiv:2601.16808•Physical Review A•May 12, 2026•3 citations

Ground-state solution of quantum droplets in Bose-Bose mixtures

Wei Liu, Limin Xu

In this paper, we present a systematic study on the ground state computation of quantum droplets in homonuclear Bose-Bose mixtures, governed by the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equations (eGPEs) with Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) corrections. This model captures the formation of self-bound droplets stabilized by the delicate balance between the attractive mean-field interaction and the repulsive quantum fluctuations. We formulate dimensionless energy functionals for both the general two-component system and the reduced single-component density-locked model. To compute the ground states efficiently, we adapt and benchmark various gradient flow discretization schemes, identifying a backward-forward sine-pseudospectral scheme based on the gradient flow with Lagrange multiplier method (GFLM-BFSP) as the robust solver for our simulations. Utilizing this method, we report three main numerical observations: (i) the density-locked model is quantitatively validated as a reliable approximation for ground state properties; (ii) the dimension-dependent convergence rates of the Thomas-Fermi approximation are established in the strong-coupling regime; and (iii) the critical particle number for self-binding in free space is numerically determined, providing a precise correction to the analytical prediction by Petrov [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 155302 (2015)].

cond-mat.quant-gasCross-listedarXiv:2604.00889•Apr 2, 2026•0 citations

Quantum droplets in one-dimensional Bose-Bose mixtures: beyond the Lee-Huang-Yang description

Abdelâali Boudjemâa, Karima Abbas

Abstract The static and dynamic properties of self-bound quantum droplets in a one-dimensional Bose-Bose mixture are discussed in the spirit of the Hartree–Fock-Bogoliubov theory. This latter enables us to provide beyond the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) quantum corrections to the equation of state at both zero and finite temperatures. In the uniform case our results for the ground-state energy and the critical temperature are confirmed through comparison with Quantum Monte-Carlo simulation and with available theoretical results. The density profiles are supported by numerical simulations of the generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation which selfconsistently includes higher-order terms originating from the normal and anomalous fluctuations under the local density approximation. We show that the density exhibits a dip near its center in the flat-top plateau region for large interspecies interactions. We exemplify the impact of the beyond LHY corrections on the spatiotemporal evolution of the self-bound droplet in the presence of excitation induced by periodic density modulation. It is found that higher-order corrections may lead to the formation of a train of small droplets. We then extend our study for the case of inhomogeneous droplets in quasi one-dimensional Bose mixtures.

New Journal of Physics•Sep 1, 2023•10 citations

Stability and mixed phases of three-component droplets in one dimension

I. A. Englezos, E. G. Charalampidis, Peter Schmelcher +1 more

We explore the ground state properties and excitation spectra of one-dimensional three-component bosonic mixtures accommodating a droplet in two of the species and a third minority component. Relying on the suitable Lee-Huang-Yang framework, we reveal a plethora of distinct self-bound droplet phases and their phase transitions through variations of either the particle number of the majority components or the intercomponent coupling. The ensuing phases demonstrate that the minority component is being un-trapped, partially trapped, or fully trapped by the majority droplet species. These states are characterized by their binding energies captured by the chemical potentials and their low-amplitude excitation spectrum, including mode crossings at the particle-emission threshold. We further derive effective reduced models which are valid in the high-imbalance limit, and accurately reproduce the numerically computed ground states, while providing analytical insights into the role of quantum fluctuations. Our results map out the stability and structure of mixed droplet phases offering guidance into forthcoming experimental and theoretical studies of multicomponent quantum droplets.

arXiv:2601.04950•Jan 8, 2026•0 citations

Phase diagram and elementary excitations of strongly interacting droplets with non-local interactions

Maciej Łebek, Jakub Kopyciński, Wojciech Górecki +2 more

Abstract A one-dimensional bosonic gas with strong contact repulsion and attractive non-local interactions may form a quantum droplet with a flat-top density profile. We focus on a system in the Tonks–Girardeau limit of infinitely strong contact repulsion. We show that the main system features are the same for a broad class of non-local interaction potentials. Then, we focus on a limiting case, the one of slowly varying density profiles, to find approximate formulas for the surface and bulk energies of a droplet. We further characterise the system by numerically finding the excitation spectrum. It consists of two families: phononic-like excitations inside droplets and scattering modes. Analysis within the linearised regime is supplemented with the full, nonlinear dynamics of small perturbations.

arXiv:2209.01887•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Feb 26, 2025•1 citation
Quantum droplets-arising from the delicate balance between repulsive and attractive interactions-continue to be of significant interest in the study of ultracold atomic systems. In this work, we revisit the ground-state properties and collective dynamics of one-dimensional quantum droplets. We identify a critical effective particle number, [Formula: see text], at which the superfluid fraction [Formula: see text] exhibits a distinct inflection point, indicating a structural transition in the ground state. For [Formula: see text], the density profile is sharply peaked, whereas for [Formula: see text], it flattens into a plateau-like shape well-approximated by the Thomas-Fermi model. Additionally, we show that super-Gaussian functions provide excellent fits to the ground-state density profiles, offering a simple and accurate modeling approach. To study the system's dynamical behavior, we develop an analytical framework for quantum droplets subjected to a periodic lattice potential. In the weak-lattice limit ([Formula: see text]), the excitation spectrum reveals a Goldstone gapless phonon mode, characteristic of superfluidity. However, at low densities, the inclusion of Lee-Huang-Yang corrections leads to phonon instabilities, consistent with the transition from a peak- to a plateau-like ground state. In the strong-lattice regime (large [Formula: see text]), a gap opens in the lowest excitation modes, suggesting a crossover from a superfluid to a Mott-insulating phase. Our findings should shed light on key aspects of a low-dimensional quantum droplet.
The spectral properties and dynamical behaviors of three-dimensional quantum droplets loaded in an optical lattice within a Lee–Huang–Yang fluid are investigated. Using a beyond-mean-field model combined with variational analysis and numerical simulations, we explore the system's ground states and dynamics. Our results demonstrate that lattice anisotropy and quantum fluctuations effectively tune the excitation spectrum and lift the degeneracy of the breathing modes. Through Floquet dynamics, we identify distinct nonlinear features, including higher-order harmonics and frequency-mixing modes. Quench dynamics studies show center-of-mass oscillations characterized by a linear frequency and an additional nonlinear frequency. Additionally, we find that the collision dynamics of droplet pairs strongly depend on their relative phase, resulting in diverse dynamical behaviors. These findings provide valuable insights for understanding and manipulating quantum droplets in optical lattices, offering some reference for exploring quantum fluctuations in periodically confined geometries.
We theoretically investigate ground-state properties and collective excitations of one-dimensional quantum droplets in asymmetric Bose-Bose mixtures with unequal intraspin interactions. Using the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation supported by variational, sum-rule, and linearization methods, we show that the intraspin interaction ratio substantially alters the droplet's density profile, driving a transition from Gaussian-like to flat-top shapes. By examining two experimentally relevant parameter regions, we analyze density profiles, radii, peak densities, and excitation spectra to distinguish quantum phases and to depict phase diagrams in the space of asymmetric interaction ratio and total atom number. We carefully study the frequencies of both well-known dipole and breathing modes and less-explored spin-dipole and spin-breathing modes. The breathing-mode frequency decreases monotonically with interaction ratio, approaching asymptotically the result of a conventional weakly interacting Bose gas. It varies nonmonotonically with total atom number, peaking at a critical point that highlights the crucial role of quantum fluctuations. In contrast, spin modes display distinct temporal spin density distributions and reveal in-phase and out-of-phase relative dynamics between components. Their frequencies depend instead monotonically on the interaction ratio and atom number. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of asymmetric quantum droplets and link to experimentally accessible regimes in ultracold 39^{39}39K atomic gases.
In this paper, we present a systematic study on the ground state computation of quantum droplets in homonuclear Bose-Bose mixtures, governed by the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equations (eGPEs) with Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) corrections. This model captures the formation of self-bound droplets stabilized by the delicate balance between the attractive mean-field interaction and the repulsive quantum fluctuations. We formulate dimensionless energy functionals for both the general two-component system and the reduced single-component density-locked model. To compute the ground states efficiently, we adapt and benchmark various gradient flow discretization schemes, identifying a backward-forward sine-pseudospectral scheme based on the gradient flow with Lagrange multiplier method (GFLM-BFSP) as the robust solver for our simulations. Utilizing this method, we report three main numerical observations: (i) the density-locked model is quantitatively validated as a reliable approximation for ground state properties; (ii) the dimension-dependent convergence rates of the Thomas-Fermi approximation are established in the strong-coupling regime; and (iii) the critical particle number for self-binding in free space is numerically determined, providing a precise correction to the analytical prediction by Petrov [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 155302 (2015)].
Abstract The static and dynamic properties of self-bound quantum droplets in a one-dimensional Bose-Bose mixture are discussed in the spirit of the Hartree–Fock-Bogoliubov theory. This latter enables us to provide beyond the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) quantum corrections to the equation of state at both zero and finite temperatures. In the uniform case our results for the ground-state energy and the critical temperature are confirmed through comparison with Quantum Monte-Carlo simulation and with available theoretical results. The density profiles are supported by numerical simulations of the generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation which selfconsistently includes higher-order terms originating from the normal and anomalous fluctuations under the local density approximation. We show that the density exhibits a dip near its center in the flat-top plateau region for large interspecies interactions. We exemplify the impact of the beyond LHY corrections on the spatiotemporal evolution of the self-bound droplet in the presence of excitation induced by periodic density modulation. It is found that higher-order corrections may lead to the formation of a train of small droplets. We then extend our study for the case of inhomogeneous droplets in quasi one-dimensional Bose mixtures.
We explore the ground state properties and excitation spectra of one-dimensional three-component bosonic mixtures accommodating a droplet in two of the species and a third minority component. Relying on the suitable Lee-Huang-Yang framework, we reveal a plethora of distinct self-bound droplet phases and their phase transitions through variations of either the particle number of the majority components or the intercomponent coupling. The ensuing phases demonstrate that the minority component is being un-trapped, partially trapped, or fully trapped by the majority droplet species. These states are characterized by their binding energies captured by the chemical potentials and their low-amplitude excitation spectrum, including mode crossings at the particle-emission threshold. We further derive effective reduced models which are valid in the high-imbalance limit, and accurately reproduce the numerically computed ground states, while providing analytical insights into the role of quantum fluctuations. Our results map out the stability and structure of mixed droplet phases offering guidance into forthcoming experimental and theoretical studies of multicomponent quantum droplets.
Abstract A one-dimensional bosonic gas with strong contact repulsion and attractive non-local interactions may form a quantum droplet with a flat-top density profile. We focus on a system in the Tonks–Girardeau limit of infinitely strong contact repulsion. We show that the main system features are the same for a broad class of non-local interaction potentials. Then, we focus on a limiting case, the one of slowly varying density profiles, to find approximate formulas for the surface and bulk energies of a droplet. We further characterise the system by numerically finding the excitation spectrum. It consists of two families: phononic-like excitations inside droplets and scattering modes. Analysis within the linearised regime is supplemented with the full, nonlinear dynamics of small perturbations.