Linear and nonlinear dynamics of matter wave packets in periodic potentials

• Main Authors: Anker, Th, Albiez, M, Eiermann, B, Taglieber, M, Oberthaler, M. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 10-01-2004
• Subjects: Physics - Disordered Systems and Neural Networks; Physics - Materials Science; Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics; Physics - Other Condensed Matter; Physics - Quantum Gases; Physics - Soft Condensed Matter; Physics - Statistical Mechanics; Physics - Strongly Correlated Electrons; Physics - Superconductivity
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0401165

Opt. Express 12, 11-18 (2004) We investigate experimentally and theoretically the nonlinear propagation of
87Rb Bose Einstein condensates in a trap with cylindrical symmetry. An
additional weak periodic potential which encloses an angle with the symmetry
axis of the waveguide is applied. The observed complex wave packet dynamics
results from the coupling of transverse and longitudinal motion. We show that
the experimental observations can be understood applying the concept of
effective mass, which also allows to model numerically the three dimensional
problem with a one dimensional equation. Within this framework the observed
slowly spreading wave packets are a consequence of the continuous change of
dispersion. The observed splitting of wave packets is very well described by
the developed model and results from the nonlinear effect of transient
solitonic propagation.