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arXiv:cond-mat/0410234 · Physical Review A

Three-dimensional solitons in coupled atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensates

Timothy G. Vaughan, Karen V. Kheruntsyan, P. D. Drummond

Published Dec 14, 2004• 13 citations
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Abstract

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 $s$-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.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.70.063611

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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.
We consider the quantum theory of three fields interacting via parametric and repulsive quartic couplings. This can be applied to treat photonic ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{(2)}$ and ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{(3)}$ interactions, and interactions in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates or quantum Fermi gases, describing coherent molecule formation together with s-wave scattering. The simplest two-particle quantum solitons or bound-state solutions of the idealized Hamiltonian, without a momentum cutoff, are obtained exactly. They have a pointlike structure in two and three dimensions---even though the corresponding classical theory is nonsingular. We show that the solutions can be regularized with a momentum cutoff. The parametric quantum solitons have much more realistic length scales and binding energies than ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{(3)}$ quantum solitons, and the resulting effects could potentially be experimentally tested in highly nonlinear optical parametric media or interacting matter-wave systems. N-particle quantum solitons and the ground state energy are analyzed using a variational approach. Applications to atomic/molecular Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC's) are given, where we predict the possibility of forming coupled BEC solitons in three space dimensions, and analyze ``superchemistry'' dynamics.
Dynamics and stability of solitons in two-dimensional (2D) Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC), with one-dimensional (1D) conservative plus dissipative nonlinear optical lattices, are investigated. In the case of focusing media (with attractive atomic systems), the collapse of the wave packet is arrested by the dissipative periodic nonlinearity. The adiabatic variation of the background scattering length leads to metastable matter-wave solitons. When the atom feeding mechanism is used, a dissipative soliton can exist in focusing 2D media with 1D periodic nonlinearity. In the defocusing media (repulsive BEC case) with harmonic trap in one direction and nonlinear optical lattice in the other direction, the stable soliton can exist. Variational approach simulations are confirmed by full numerical results for the 2D Gross-Pitaevskii equation.
We investigated the stability properties of breather soliton trains in a three-dimensional Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) with Feshbach-resonance management of the scattering length. This is done so as to generate both attractive and repulsive interaction. The condensate is confined only by a one-dimensional optical lattice and we consider strong, moderate and weak confinement. By strong confinement we mean a situation in which a quasi two-dimensional soliton is created. Moderate confinement admits a fully three-dimensional soliton. Weak confinement allows individual solitons to interact. Stability properties are investigated by several theoretical methods such as a variational analysis, treatment of motion in effective potential wells, and collapse dynamics. Armed with all the information forthcoming from these methods, we then undertake a numerical calculation. Our theoretical predictions are fully confirmed, perhaps to a higher degree than expected. We compare regions of stability in parameter space obtained from a fully three-dimensional analysis with those from a quasi two-dimensional treatment, when the dynamics in one direction are frozen. We find that in the three-dimensional case the stability region splits into two parts. However, as we tighten the confinement, one of the islands of stability moves toward higher frequencies and the lower frequency region becomes more and more like that for the quasi two-dimensional case. We demonstrate these solutions in direct numerical simulations and, importantly, suggest a way of creating robust three-dimensional solitons in experiments in a BEC in a one-dimensional lattice.
Summary form only given. Parametric solitons or simultaneous solitary waves (simultons), involving the optical /spl chi//sup (2)/ nonlinearity, have been the topic of much recent theoretical and experimental interest in nonlinear optics. We propose a novel mechanism by which a similar phenomenon may occur in nonlinear atomic optics, in which coherent molecule formation in a Bose-Einstein condensate takes the place of second harmonic generation. This requires a coupling that converts two atoms into one molecule, thus generating coupled atomic and molecular Bose-Einstein condensates. Our model includes a coherent molecular formation process (i.e., without dissipation) in an atomic BEC vapor, either through a Feshbach resonance or Raman photo-association. The coherently coupled atom-molecular condensate could provide a route to the observation of a localized three-dimensional BEC soliton, even in the absence of a trap potential. A possible application is in the free propagation of a non-diverging atom laser pulse, thus greatly increasing the intensity in an atom laser beam.
We elaborate a mechanism for the creation of stable three-dimensional (3D) solitons in spin-orbit-coupled (SOC) atomic-molecular Bose-Einstein condensate, modeled by the mean-field equations with the quadratic three-wave interaction, characterized by mismatch ααα. The planar (effectively two-dimensional) SOC is applied to the soliton's atomic component, structuring it as a mixed mode (MM) or semi-vortex (SV). The molecular component of the SV soliton is shaped as a 3D vortex, while the molecular component in the MM soliton is an MM too. The solitons exist up to a critical value of ααα. The system demonstrates a relatively large norm share of the vortex components, exceeding 50%50\%50% of the total norm, which is an essential feature of SOC-supported solitons. This is scheme for realizing stable vortex solitons in free space with the quadratic nonlinearity.
By means of variational solution and direct numerical simulation of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE), we have studied the stability of matter-wave solitons in two-dimensional (2D) Bose-Einstein condensations (BECs), with 2D linear and nonlinear optical lattices (OLs). Using the static variational approach and Vakhitov-Kolokolov criterion necessary for stability, we obtain the stability condition for solitons in different combinations of OL's parameters. We show that the 2D linear and nonlinear optical lattices allow us to stabilize 2D solitons for both attractive and repulsive interactions. We also study the time-evolution problems of 2D BECs, using the time-dependent variational approach and numerical solution of GPE for 2D linear and nonlinear OLs. Very good agreement between the results corresponding to both treatments is observed.