Matter wave soliton collisions in the quasi one-dimensional potential

We consider soliton solutions of a two-dimensional nonlinear system with the self-focusing nonlinearity and a quasi 1D confining potential, taking harmonic potential as an example. We investigate a single soliton in detail and find criterion for possible collapse. This information is then used to investigate the dynamics of the two soliton collision. In this dynamics we identify three regimes according to the relation between nonlinear interaction and the excitation energy: elastic collision, excitation and collapse regime. We show that surprisingly accurate predictions can be obtained from variational analysis.     

Localization phenomena in nonlinear Schrödinger equations with spatially inhomogeneous nonlinearities: Theory and applications to Bose-Einstein condensates

We study the properties of the ground state of nonlinear Schrödinger equations with spatially inhomogeneous interactions and show that it experiences a strong localization on the spatial region where the interactions vanish. At the same time, tunneling to regions with positive values of the interactions is strongly suppressed by the nonlinear interactions and as the number of particles is increased it saturates in the region of finite interaction values. The chemical potential has a cutoff value in these systems and thus takes values on a finite interval. The applicability of the phenomenon to Bose-Einstein condensates is discussed in detail.     

Complete and orthonormal eigenfunctions of excitations to a one-dimensional dark soliton

We study linear excitations to a one-dimensional dark soliton described by a defocusing nonlinear Schödinger equation. By solving an eigenvalue problem for the excitations we obtain all eigenvalues and eigenfunctions and prove rigorously that these eigenfunctions are orthonormal and form a complete set. We then use the eigenfunctions to obtain the exact form of linear excitations for any given initial condition and to investigate the transverse stability of the dark soliton. The rigorous results reported in the present work can be applied to study the dynamics of dark solitons in various nonlinear optical media and Bose-Einstein condensates.     

Nonlinear phenomena in degenerate quantum gases

In this introductory survey, we give an overview of the main physical problems and corresponding themes of research addressed in this Special Issue. We also briefly discuss some avenues of potential interest for future research in degenerate quantum gases.     

One-dimensional delocalizing transitions of matter waves in optical lattices

We investigate, both analytically and numerically, the conditions for the occurrence of the delocalizing transition phenomenon of one-dimensional localized modes of several nonlinear continuous periodic and discrete systems of the nonlinear Schrödinger type. We show that either non-existence of solitons in the small amplitude limit or the loss of stability along existence branches can lead to delocalizing transitions, which occur following different scenarios. Examples of delocalizing transitions of both types are provided for a class of equations which describe single component and binary mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates trapped in linear and nonlinear optical lattices.     

Switching and Self-trapping Dynamics of Dark Solitons in a Two-Component Bose-Einstein Condensate

Two coupled dark solitons are considered in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate, and their dynamics are investigated by the variational approach based the renormalized integrals of motion. The stationary states as physical solutions to the describing equations are obtained, and the dynamic mechanism is demonstrated by performing a coordinate of a classical particle moving in an effective potential field. The switching and selftrapping dynamics of the coupled dark vector solitons are discussed by the evolution of the atom population transferring ratio.     

Integrability of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with Feshbach resonance management

In this Letter we study the integrability of a class of Gross-Pitaevskii equations managed by Feshbach resonance in an expulsive parabolic external potential. By using WTC test, we find a condition under which the Gross-Pitaevskii equation is completely integrable. Under the present model, this integrability condition is completely consistent with that proposed by Serkin, Hasegawa, and Belyaeva [V.N. Serkin, A. Hasegawa, T.L. Belyaeva, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 (2007) 074102]. Furthermore, this integrability can also be explicitly shown by a transformation, which can convert the Gross-Pitaevskii equation into the well-known standard nonlinear Schrödinger equation. By this transformation, each exact solution of the standard nonlinear Schrödinger equation can be converted into that of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which builds a systematical connection between the canonical solitons and the so-called nonautonomous ones. The finding of this transformation has a significant contribution to understanding the essential properties of the nonautonomous solitons and the dynamics of the Bose-Einstein condensates by using the Feshbach resonance technique.     

Interferometric generation of dark spatial solitons in a photorefractive Bi12TiO20 crystal

We present an interferometric way to generate dark spatial solitons by propagating two coherent beams in a photorefractive Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ crystal under application of an external electric field. Our results shown that the initial width, initial separation, and relative phase between the beams allow to control the type of dark soliton generated.     

Gap solitons in a model of a superfluid fermion gas in optical lattices

We consider a dynamical model for a Fermi gas in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superfluid state, trapped in a combination of a 1D or 2D optical lattice (OL) and a tight parabolic potential, acting in the transverse direction(s). The model is based on an equation for the order parameter (wave function), which is derived from the energy density for the weakly coupled BCS superfluid. The equation includes a nonlinear self-repulsive term of power 7/3, which accounts for the Fermi pressure. Reducing the equation to the 1D or 2D form, we construct families of stable 1D and 2D gap solitons (GSs) by means of numerical simulations, which are guided by the variational approximation (VA). The GSs are, chiefly, compact objects trapped in a single cell of the OL potential. In the linear limit, the VA predicts almost exact positions of narrow Bloch bands that separate the semi-infinite and first finite gaps, as well as the first and second finite ones. Families of stable even and odd bound states of 1D GSs are constructed, too. We also demonstrate that the GS can be dragged without much distortion by an OL moving at a moderate velocity (, in physical units). The predicted GSs contain ∼10³-10⁴ and ∼10³ atoms per 1D and 2D settings, respectively.     

Dynamics and interaction of pulses in the modified Manakov model

The two-component vector nonlinear Schrödinger equation, with mixed signs of the nonlinear coefficients, is considered. This equation is integrable by the inverse scattering transform method. The evolution of a single pulse and interaction of pulses are studied. It is shown that the dynamics of a single pulse is reduced to the scalar nonlinear Schrödinger equation of focusing or defocusing type, depending on the initial parameters. It is found that the interaction of pulses results in the appearance of additional solitons and bound states of several solitons. The asymptotic field profile in the non-soliton regime is also obtained.     

Controlled Manipulation with a Bose--Einstein Condensates N-Soliton Train under the Influence of Harmonic and Tilted Periodic Potentials

A model of the perturbed complex Toda chain （PCTC） to describe the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate （BEC） N-soliton train trapped in an applied combined external potential consisting of both a weak harmonic and tilted periodic component is first developed. Using the developed theory, the BEC N-soliton train dynamics is shown to be well approximated by 4N coupled nonlinear differential equations, which describe the fundamental interactions in the system arising from the interplay of amplitude, velocity, centre-of-mass position, and phase. The simplified analytic theory allows for an efficient and convenient method for characterizing the BEC N-soliton train behaviour. It further gives the critical values of the strength of the potential for which one or more localized states can be extracted from a soliton train and demonstrates that the BEC N-soliton train can move selectively from one lattice site to another by simply manipulating the strength of the potential.     

Nonautonomous “rogons” in the inhomogeneous nonlinear Schrödinger equation with variable coefficients

The analytical nonautonomous rogons are reported for the inhomogeneous nonlinear Schrödinger equation with variable coefficients in terms of rational-like functions by using the similarity transformation and direct ansatz. These obtained solutions can be used to describe the possible formation mechanisms for optical, oceanic, and matter rogue wave phenomenon in optical fibres, the deep ocean, and Bose-Einstein condensates, respectively. Moreover, the snake propagation traces and the fascinating interactions of two nonautonomous rogons are generated for the chosen different parameters. The obtained nonautonomous rogons may excite the possibility of relative experiments and potential applications for the rogue wave phenomenon in the field of nonlinear science.     

Controlling Chaos Probability of a Bose-Einstein Condensate in a Weak Optical Superlattice

The spatial chaos probability of a Bose-Einstein condensate perturbed by a weak optical superlattice is studied. It is demonstrated that the spatial. chaotic solution appears with a certain probability in a given parameter region under a random boundary condition. The effects of the lattice depths and wave vectors on the chaos probability are illustrated, and different regions associated with different chaos probabilities are found. This suggests a feasible scheme for suppressing and strengthening chaos by adjusting the optical superlattice experimentaJly.     

Adaptive Function Projective Synchronization of Discrete-Time Chaotic Systems

By backstepping control law and the active control method, adaptive function projective synchronization of 2D and 3D discrete-time chaotic systems with Uncertain parameters are investigated. To illustrate the effectiveness of the new scheme, some numerical examples are given.     

Suppression of Chaos in a Bose-Einstein Condensate Loaded into a Moving Optical Superlattice Potential

We have shown that the application of modulating the secondary lattice is an efficient route to suppressing the generation of chaotic traveling waves of a Bose-Einstein Condensate with attractive interatomic interaction loaded into a moving optical superlattiee consisting of two lattices. With the Melnikov method, we obtain the optimal value of the relative phase between the two lattice harmonics for the control of chaos. We also find that the regularization route as the potential depth of the secondary lattice is varied and fairly rich, including the period-doubling bifurcations.     

Eigenvalues of the Zakharov-Shabat scattering problem for two separated sech-shaped pulses

It is shown that the initial condition of two separated sech-shaped in-phase pulses in the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, may give rise to not only stationary solitons, but also symmetrically separating solitons, provided the initial distance of separation is large enough. The critical distance between the pulses for which a separating soliton pair can be found for certain amplitudes is derived using a variational approach.     

Dynamics of Bright Solitons in Bose-Einstein Condensates with Complicated Potential

We present analytical solutions of the one-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger equations of Bose-Einstein condensates in an expulsive parabolic background with a complex potential and gravitational field, by performing the Darboux transformation from a trivial seed solution. It is shown that under a safe range of parameter, the shape of bright soliton can be controlled well by adjusting the experimental parameter of the ratio of axial oscillation to radial oscillation and feeding condensates from a thermal cloud. The gravitational field can change the contrail of the bright soliton trains without changing their peak and width.     

Stabilization of spatiotemporal solitons in second-harmonic-generating media

We report the results of a systematic analysis of the existence and stability of spatiotemporal (two-dimensional) solitons (STSs) in the model of a planar waveguide with the intrinsic χ⁽²⁾ nonlinearity. Fundamental obstacles to the creation of STSs under physically realistic conditions are the normal sign of the group-velocity dispersion (GVD) at the second harmonic (SH), and the significant group-velocity mismatch (GVM) between the SH and fundamental-frequency (FF) components. To construct STS solutions in a numerical form, we adjust the iterative method, which was recently used for finding temporal (one-dimensional) χ⁽²⁾ solitons in a similar setting. We identify effective existence borders for the STSs, within which the energy loss to the generation of extended “tails” in the SH component (due to the normal sign of the GVD) is negligible. It is demonstrated that the existence region can be made much broader by means of the GVD-management and GVM-management techniques. We also explore interactions between the STSs, and find robust two-soliton bound states, with a moderate separation in the longitudinal (temporal) direction. Head-on collisions between the STSs are always destructive.     

Formal analytical solutions for the Gross-Pitaevskii equation

Considering the Gross-Pitaevskii integral equation we are able to formally obtain an analytical solution for the order parameter Φ(x) and for the chemical potential μ as a function of a unique dimensionless non-linear parameter Λ. We report solutions for different ranges of values for the repulsive and the attractive non-linear interactions in the condensate. Also, we study a bright soliton-like variational solution for the order parameter for positive and negative values of Λ. Introducing an accumulated error function we have performed a quantitative analysis with respect to other well-established methods as: the perturbation theory, the Thomas-Fermi approximation, and the numerical solution. This study gives a very useful result establishing the universal range of the Λ-values where each solution can be easily implemented. In particular, we showed that for Λ<−9, the bright soliton function reproduces the exact solution of GPE wave function.     

Discrete light bullets in two-dimensional photonic lattices: Collision scenarios

We report systematic results of collisions between discrete spatiotemporal optical solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices. We show that the outcomes of collisions strongly depend on the initial soliton parameters, such as their input amplitudes (energies) and their transverse velocities. Four generic outcomes are identified in the study of collisions between discrete light bullets located in the corner, at the edge, and in the center of the photonic lattice: (a) merger of both low and high amplitude solitons into a single one, at small values of the kick parameter (soliton transverse velocity), (b) spreading of low amplitude solitons at intermediate values of the kick parameter, (c) bouncing of high amplitude solitons at intermediate values of the kick parameter, which is accompanied by a sharp modification of input soliton transverse velocities, and (d) quasi-elastic (symmetric) interactions of both low and high amplitude solitons at large values of the kick parameter.