Asymmetric Landau-Zener tunneling in a periodic potential

Using a simple model for nonlinear Landau-Zener tunneling between two energy bands of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a periodic potential, we find that the tunneling rates for the two directions of tunneling are not the same. Tunneling from the ground state to the excited state is enhanced by the nonlinearity, whereas in the opposite direction it is suppressed. These findings are confirmed by numerical simulations of the condensate dynamics. Measuring the tunneling rates for a condensate of rubidium atoms in an optical lattice, we have found experimental evidence for this asymmetry.     

Tuning the scattering length with an optically induced Feshbach resonance

We demonstrate optical tuning of the scattering length in a Bose-Einstein condensate as predicted by Fedichev et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2913 (1996)]. In our experiment, atoms in a 87Rb condensate are exposed to laser light which is tuned close to the transition frequency to an excited molecular state. By controlling the power and detuning of the laser beam we can change the atomic scattering length over a wide range. In view of laser-driven atomic losses, we use Bragg spectroscopy as a fast method to measure the scattering length of the atoms.     

Generation of compressed sub-poisson Bose condensate by an atom laser

The dynamics of Bose-condensate generation by a cw atom laser with simultaneous stimulated evaporative cooling in a magnetic trap was analyzed using a quantum-mechanical master equation. The model of the atom laser includes irreversible processes of incoherent trap mode pumping and spontaneous atomic transitions due to the interaction of the atomic ensemble with heat reservoirs. The inelastic atomic collisions in the trap and the continual coherent Bose-condensate output coupling from the trap were considered. At certain values of parameters, the Bose condensate created in this laser scheme occurs in a compressed sub-Poisson state. For large Bose condensates with a mean number of atoms ～10⁶, the Fano factor may be as high as ?0.5. The influence of spontaneous transitions from the excited trap modes on the statistics of Bose condensate was analyzed.     

Normal mode splitting in hybrid BEC-optomechanical system

We consider an opto-mechanical cavity system consisting of Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), trapped inside the optical cavity and driven by single mode laser field. The intracavity field acts as nonlinear spring which couples the condensate mode with moving end mirror of the cavity. We study the occurrence of normal mode splitting in the position spectra of the mechanical oscillator and condensate mode as a consequence of hybridization of the fluctuations of intracavity field, mechanical mode and condensate mode. We also discuss the modification in the dynamics of the mechanical oscillator due to frequency of the collective oscillations of cold atoms and the back action of the atoms on the mechanical mirror. Moreover, we investigate the normal mode splitting in the transmission spectrum of cavity field.     

Above-barrier reflection of cold atoms by resonant laser light within the Gross-Pitaevskii approximation

Above-barrier reflection of cold alkali atoms by resonant laser light was considered analytically within the Gross-Pitaevskii approximation. Correction for the reflection coefficient because of a weak nonlinearity of the stationary Schrödinger equation has been derived using multiscale analysis as a form of perturbation theory. The nonlinearity adds spatial harmonics to linear incident and reflecting waves. It was shown that the role of nonlinearity increases when the kinetic energy of an atom is nearly to the height of the potential barrier. Results are compared to the known numerical derivations for wave functions of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with the step potential.     

Solitary pulses in linearly coupled Ginzburg-Landau equations

This article presents a brief review of dynamical models based on systems of linearly coupled complex Ginzburg-Landau (CGL) equations. In the simplest case, the system features linear gain, cubic nonlinearity (possibly combined with cubic loss), and group-velocity dispersion (GVD) in one equation, while the other equation is linear, featuring only intrinsic linear loss. The system models a dual-core fiber laser, with a parallel-coupled active core and an additional stabilizing passive (lossy) one. The model gives rise to exact analytical solutions for stationary solitary pulses (SPs). The article presents basic results concerning stability of the SPs; interactions between pulses are also considered, as are dark solitons (holes). In the case of the anomalous GVD, an unstable stationary SP may transform itself, via the Hopf bifurcation, into a stable localized breather. Various generalizations of the basic system are briefly reviewed too, including a model with quadratic (second-harmonic-generating) nonlinearity and a recently introduced model of a different but related type, based on linearly coupled CGL equations with cubic-quintic nonlinearity. The latter system features spontaneous symmetry breaking of stationary SPs, and also the formation of stable breathers.     

Dynamics of Bose-Einstein Condensed and Excited Atoms in a Quantized Cavity

The dynamics of the Bose-Einstein condensed and excited atoms in a cavity interacting with quantized electromagnetic field of single mode is studied for both the cases with and without dissipation. It is shown that the frequencies of oscillation between the condensed atomic state and an excited state are related to the number of Bose-Einstein condensed atom in a certain form. This relation may be used for the reliable detection of the appearance of the Bose-Einstein condensate.     

Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices: Spontaneous emission in the presence of photonic band gaps

An extended Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in an optical lattice provides a kind of periodic dielectric and causes band gaps to occur in the spectrum of light propagating through it. We examine the question whether these band gaps can modify the spontaneous emission rate of atoms excited from the BEC, and whether they can lead to a self-stabilization of the BEC against spontaneous emission. We find that self-stabilization is not possible for BECs with a density in the order of 10¹⁴ cm^-3. However, the corresponding non-Markovian behavior produces significant effects in the decay of excited atoms even for a homogeneous BEC interacting with a weak laser beam. These effects are caused by the occurrence of an avoided crossing in the photon (or rather polariton) spectrum. We also predict a new channel for spontaneous decay which arises from an interference between periodically excited atoms and periodic photon modes. This new channel should also occur in ordinary periodic dielectrics. Received 27 March 2000     

原子间相互作用对双模原子激光压缩性质的影响

研究了由单模压缩相干态光场与Ξ型三能级原子玻色爱因斯坦凝聚体(BEC)相互作用系统中耦合输出的双模原子激光的压缩特性,重点讨论了玻色爱因斯坦凝聚体原子间相互作用对原子激光压缩性质的影响,并讨论了原子激光压缩对光场初始压缩因子的依赖关系。结果表明:由光场诱导的双模原子激光呈现周期性的压缩,原子间的相互作用和光场初始压缩因子对原子的压缩性质具有重要影响。原子间的相互作用影响原子激光压缩的振荡频率而不会影响其压缩深度,而初始光场的压缩因子则对原子激光压缩深度产生调制作用,且初始光场的压缩因子越大,则原子激光压缩的时间越短。     

Coherent amplification of beams of atoms inelastically scattered by the Bose-Einstein condensate

The subject of consideration is coherent amplification of a beam of impurity atoms inelastically scattered by a system of ultracold atoms with collectively excited modes. A kinematic model of weak localization of a new type is used that provides a straightforward explanation for this phenomenon and also makes it possible to derive the angular dependences of the scattering intensity. Based on this model, angular and energy criteria for the existence of the new-type weak localization in an ultracold system of atoms (the Bose-Einstein condensate) are determined. Particular emphasis is on how the principle of indistinguishability influences the weak localization of a beam of atoms inelastically scattered by the Bose-Einstein condensate when scattered and condensed atoms are identical.     

Bosonic enhancement of spontaneous emission near an interface

We show how the spontaneous emission rate of an excited two-level atom placed in a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate of ground-state atoms is enhanced by bosonic stimulation. This stimulation depends on the overlap of the excited matter-wave packet with the macroscopically occupied condensate wave function, and provides a probe of the spatial coherence of the Bose gas. The effect can be used to amplify the distance-dependent decay rate of an excited atom near an interface.     

Surface excitations of a bose-einstein condensate

Surface modes in a Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium atoms have been studied. We observed excitations of standing and rotating quadrupolar and hexadecapolar modes. The modes were excited with high spatial and temporal resolution using the optical dipole force of a rapidly scanning laser beam. This novel technique is very flexible and should be useful for the study of rotating Bose-Einstein condensates and vortices.     

A scheme for the generation of two-mode atomic laser

The quantum dynamic behavior of the system composed of V-type three-level atomic Bose-Einstein con-densate (BEC) interacting with two-mode coherent light field has been studied. The results show that the atoms of V-type three-level atomic BEC, which are excited to higher-level states under the action of light field, still keep their properties of coherent states. It demonstrates theoretically that two-mode atomic laser may be prepared by V-type three-level atomic BEC.     

Suppression and enhancement of impurity scattering in a Bose-Einstein condensate

Impurity atoms propagating at variable velocities through a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate were produced using a stimulated Raman transition. The redistribution of momentum by collisions between the impurity atoms and the stationary condensate was observed in a time-of-flight analysis. The collisional cross section was dramatically reduced when the impurity velocity was reduced below the condensate speed of sound, in agreement with the Landau criterion for superfluidity. For large numbers of impurity atoms, we observed an enhancement of atomic collisions due to bosonic stimulation. This enhancement is analogous to optical super-radiance.     

Influence of nonlinear atomic interaction on excitation of intrinsic localized modes in carbon nanotubes

Excitation of intrinsic localized modes (ILMs) in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different chiral structures was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. For CNTs with a chiral angle less than or equal to 30^°, energy concentration that continued for more than 200 fs was found in a localized area, where a pair of neighboring atoms strongly oscillated with a higher vibrational frequency than the upper bound of phonon bands. This evidently indicates excitation of the ILM. On the other hand, the ILM was not excited in CNTs with a chiral angle greater than or equal to 41^°. Analyzing the nonlinearity of the interaction between excited atoms in the ILM vibration mode, we elucidated that nonlinearity predominates the selective ILM excitation. Furthermore, stronger nonlinearity excites ILMs with both higher frequency and longer lifetime.     

Observation of the scissors mode and evidence for superfluidity of a trapped bose-einstein condensed Gas

We report the observation of the scissors mode of a Bose-Einstein condensed gas of 87Rb atoms in a magnetic trap, which gives direct evidence of superfluidity in this system. The scissors mode of oscillation is excited by a sudden rotation of the anisotropic trapping potential. For a gas above T(c) (normal fluid) we detect the occurrence of oscillations at two frequencies, with the lower frequency corresponding to the rigid body value of the moment of inertia. Well below T(c) the condensate oscillates at a single frequency, without damping, as expected for a superfluid.     

Resonant reflection of Bose-Einstein condensate by a double delta-function barrier within the Gross-Pitaevskii equation

Resonant reflection of a Bose-Einstein condensate by a double delta-function barrier has been considered analytically using the Gross-Pitaevskii approximation for nonlinearity. The reflection coefficient has been derived taking into account a weak nonlinearity of the Schrödinger equation produced by the interaction between cold alkali atoms. Nonlinear term is given in the limit of asymptotically weak interaction and zero temperature. The one-dimensional potential is approximated by two repulsive delta-function barriers. The analytical solution was obtained for the reflection coefficient using a multiple-scale analysis in order to remove secular terms. The most interesting case corresponds to the condensate energies for which reflection is absent without nonlinear term. Thus, reflection is determined only by the nonlinearity. The reflection coefficient is derived in the first order on the nonlinearity parameter.     

Rb原子激发态碰撞能量转移

报道了用连续单模激光激发Rb原子至特定的激发态，从而观察激发态间的碰撞形成更高Rb原子激发态的实验结果.实验观察到Rb原子激发态的自发辐射与高激发态的碰撞形成通道之间的明显竞争，测得了高激发态的形成概率与激发光功率、原子蒸气温度及激光失谐的关系，所提出的碰撞能量转移机理较好地解释了实验结果. 关键词：