Josephson Tunnelling of a Phase-imprinted Bose-Einstein Condensate in a Time-dependent Double-Well Potential
E Sakellari, Nick P. Proukakis, M. Leadbeater, C. S. Adams
Abstract
This paper discusses the feasibility of experimental control of the flow direction of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates in a double-well potential using phase imprinting. The flow is induced by the application of a time-dependent potential gradient, providing a clear signature of macroscopic quantum tunnelling in atomic condensates. By studying both initial-state preparation and subsequent tunnelling dynamics, we find the parameters to optimize the phase-induced Josephson current. We find that the effect is largest for condensates of up to a few thousand atoms, and is only weakly dependent on trap geometry.