Dynamical superfluid-insulator transition in a chain of weakly coupled Bose-Einstein condensates
Year: 2002
Authors: Smerzi A., Trombettoni A., Kevrekidis P.G., Bishop A.R.
Autors Affiliation: Los Alamos Natl Lab, Div Theoret, Los Alamos, NM 87545 USA; Los Alamos Natl Lab, Ctr Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos, NM 87545 USA; Ist Nazl Fis Mat, I-34014 Trieste, Italy; Scuola Int Super Studi Avanzati, I-34014 Trieste, Italy; Univ Massachusetts, Dept Math & Stat, Amherst, MA 01003 USA.
Abstract: We predict a dynamical classical superfluid-insulator transition in a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in an optical and a magnetic potential. In the tight-binding limit, this system realizes an array of weakly coupled condensates driven by an external harmonic field. For small displacements of the parabolic trap about the equilibrium position, the condensates coherently oscillate in the array. For large displacements, the condensates remain localized on the side of the harmonic trap with a randomization of the relative phases. The superfluid-insulator transition is due to a discrete modulational instability, occurring when the condensate center of mass velocity is larger than a critical value.
Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
Volume: 89 (17) Pages from: 170402-1 to: 170402-4
KeyWords: Discrete Solitons; Optical Lattices; Tunnel Arrays; Instabilities; AtomsDOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.170402ImpactFactor: 7.323Citations: 309data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-11-24References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)
