In this work we investigate the quantum dynamics of a model for two single-mode Bose--Einstein condensates which are coupled via Josephson tunneling. Using direct numerical diagonalisation of the Hamiltonian, we compute the time evolution of the expectation value for the relative particle number across a wide range of couplings. Our analysis shows that the system exhibits rich and complex behaviours varying between harmonic and non-harmonic oscillations, particularly around the threshold coupling between the delocalised and self-trapping phases. We show that these behaviours are dependent on both the initial state of the system as well as regime of the coupling. In addition, a study of the dynamics for the variance of the relative particle number expectation and the entanglement for different initial states is presented in detail.
We analyze Josephson's oscillation of Bose particles in the open (dissipative) Bose-Hubbard dimer. First, we excite the dimer from the vacuum state into a state suitable for observing the oscillation by using a special protocol for external driving. Next, we switch off the driving and observe the oscillation. It is shown that the main mechanism for the decay of Josephson's oscillation is the dephasing due to fluctuating number of particles in open systems. An analytical estimate for the decay time is obtained.
We study the mean-field dynamics of a Bose Josephson junction which is dispersively coupled to a single mode of a high-finesse optical cavity. An effective classical Hamiltonian for the Bose Josephson junction is derived and its dynamics is studied in the perspective of phase portrait. It is shown that the strong condensate-field coupling does alter the dynamics of the Bose Josephson junction drastically. The possibility of coherent manipulating and \textsl{in situ} observation of the dynamics of the Bose Josephson junction is discussed.
We perform a detailed field theoretical study of nonequilibrium Josephson oscillations between interacting Bose-Einstein condensates confined in a finite-size double-well trap. We find that the Josephson junction can sustain multiple undamped Josephson oscillations up to a characteristic time scale $τ_c$ without quasipartcles being excited in the system. This may explain recent related experiments. At larger times the dynamics of the junction is governed by fast Rabi oscillations between the descrete quasiparticle levels. We predict that a selftrapped BEC state will be destroyed by these Rabi …
We propose a scheme to achieve a Mach-Zehnder interferometry using a quantized Bose-Josephson junction with negative charging energy. The quantum adiabatic evolution through a dynamical bifurcation is used to accomplish the beam splitting and recombination. The negative charging energy ensures the existence of a path-entangled state which enhances the phase measurement precision to the Heisenberg limit. A feasible detection procedure is also presented. The scheme should be realizable with current technology.
We study the Josephson effect between atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. By drawing on an electrostatic analogy, we derive a semiclassical functional expression for the three-dimensional Josephson coupling energy in terms of the condensate density. Estimates of the capacitive energy and of the Josephson plasma frequency are also given. The effect of dissipation due to the incoherent exchange of normal atoms is analysed. We conclude that coherent Josephson dynamics may already be observable in current experimental systems.
We investigate spin squeezing of a two-mode boson system with a Josephson coupling. An exact relation between the squeezing and the single-particle coherence at the maximal-squeezing time is discovered, which provides a more direct way to measure the squeezing by readout the coherence in atomic interference experiments. We prove explicitly that the strongest squeezing is along the $J_z$ axis, indicating the appearance of atom number-squeezed state. Power laws of the strongest squeezing and the optimal coupling with particle number $N$ are obtained based upon a wide range of numerical simulatio…
We study the dynamics of the relative phase between two Bose-Einstein condensates coupled via collisions and via a Josephson-like coupling. We derive the equations of the motion for the relative phase and the relative number operators from the second quantized Hamiltonian of the system using a quantum field theoretical approach. We distinguish the cases in which the two condensates are in the same trap or in two different traps and study the influence of this difference on the first order correlation function of atomic fields. In identical traps this function does not undergo dephasing. We cal…
We investigate the nonlinear dynamics of two coupled annular Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). For certain values of the coupling strength the nonrotating ground state is unstable with respect to fluctuations in the higher angular momentum modes. The two branched Bogoliubov spectrum exhibits distinct regions of instability enabling one to selectively occupy certain angular momentum modes. For sufficiently long evolution times angular momentum Josephson oscillations spontaneously appear, breaking the initial chiral symmetry of the BECs.
We consider the non-equilibrium dynamics of a weakly interacting Bose gas tightly confined to a highly elongated double well potential. We use a self-consistent time-dependent Hartree--Fock approximation in combination with a projection of the full three-dimensional theory to several coupled one-dimensional channels. This allows us to model the time-dependent splitting and phase imprinting of a gas initially confined to a single quasi one-dimensional potential well and obtain a microscopic description of the ensuing damped Josephson oscillations.
I present an overview of the physics of the Josephson effect between Bose condensed systems, with emphasis on the recently achieved BEC's in trapped alkali gases. I focus mostly on those physical phenomena that are likely to be observed only (or more easily) in these novel systems. Thus I omit the discussion of problems which may be viewed as straightforward applications of well known Josephson physics. In particular, I review the external and the internal Josephson effects, and discuss how in the latter case it may be possible to explore the crossover between collective Josephson behavior and…
We derive and analyze shock-wave solutions of hydrodynamic equations describing repulsively interacting one dimensional Bose gas. We also use the number-conserving Bogolubov approach to verify accuracy of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation in shock wave problems. We show that quantum corrections to dynamics of shocks (dark-shock-originated solitons) in a Bose-Einstein condensate are negligible (important) for a realistic set of system parameters. We point out possible signatures of a Bose-Einstein condensate -- Tonks crossover in shock dynamics. Our findings can be directly verified in different ex…
We study a new type of Josephson device, the so-called "optical Josephson junction" as proposed in Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 95}, 170402 (2005). Two condensates are optically coupled through a waveguide by a pair of Bragg beams. This optical Josephson junction is analogous to the usual Josephson junction of two condensates weakly coupled via tunneling. We discuss the use of this optical Josephson junction, for making precision measurements.
We demonstrate that two coupled Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) at zero temperature can be used to realize a qubit which is the counterpart of Josephson charge qubits. The two BEC are weakly coupled and confined in an asymmetric double-well trap. When the "charging energy" of the system is much larger than the Josephson energy and the system is biased near a degeneracy point, the two BEC represent a qubit with two states differing only by one atom. The realization of the BEC qubits in realistic BEC experiments is briefly discussed.
Josephson junctions are essential ingredients in the superconducting circuits used in many existing quantum technologies. Additionally, ultracold atomic quantum gases have also become essential platforms to study superfluidity. Here, we explore the analogy between superconductivity and superfluidity to present an intriguing effect caused by a thin finite barrier in a quasi-one-dimensional toroidal spinor Bose--Einstein condensate (BEC). In this system, the atomic current density flowing through the edges of the barrier oscillates, such as the electrical current through a Josephson junction in …
Entanglement preparation and signal accumulation are essential for quantum parameter estimation, which pose significant challenges to both theories and experiments. Here, we propose how to utilize chaotic dynamics in a periodically driven Bose-Josephson system for achieving a high-precision measurement beyond the standard quantum limit (SQL). Starting from an initial non-entangled state, the chaotic dynamics generates quantum entanglement and simultaneously encodes the parameter to be estimated. By using suitable chaotic dynamics, the ultimate measurement precision of the estimated parameter c…
We calculate the geometric phase associated with the time evolution of the wave function of a Bose-Einstein condensate system in a double-well trap by using a model for tunneling between the wells. For a cyclic evolution, this phase is shown to be half the solid angle subtended by the evolution of a unit vector whose z component and azimuthal angle are given by the population difference and phase difference between the two condensates. For a non-cyclic evolution an additional phase term arises. We show that the geometric phase can also be obtained by mapping the tunneling equations onto the eq…
Squeezed states and macroscopic superpositions of coherent states have been predicted to be generated dynamically in Bose Josephson junctions. We solve exactly the quantum dynamics of such a junction in the presence of a classical noise coupled to the population-imbalance number operator (phase noise), accounting for, for example, the experimentally relevant fluctuations of the magnetic field. We calculate the correction to the decay of the visibility induced by the noise in the non-Markovian regime. Furthermore, we predict that such a noise induces an anomalous rate of decoherence among the c…
It has been recently suggested that the Bose-Einstein condensate formed by excitons in the dilute limit must be dark, i.e., not coupled to photons. Here, we show that, under a density increase, the dark exciton condensate must acquire a bright component due to carrier exchange in which dark excitons turn bright. This however requires a density larger than a threshold which seems to fall in the forbidden region of the phase separation between a dilute exciton gas and a dense electron-hole plasma. The BCS-like condensation which is likely to take place on the dense side, must then have a dark an…
We demonstrate that incoherent photon scattering by a Bose-Einstein condensate of non-ideal atomic gas is enhanced due to bosonic stimulation of spontaneous emission, similarly to coherent scattering in forward direction. Necessary initial population of non-condensate states is provided by quantum depletion of a condensate caused by interatomic repulsion.
We study how macroscopic superpositions of coherent states produced by the nondissipative dynamics of binary mixtures of ultracold atoms are affected by atom losses. We identify different decoherence scenarios for symmetric or asymmetric loss rates and interaction energies in the two modes. In the symmetric case the quantum coherence in the superposition is lost after a single loss event. By tuning appropriately the energies we show that the superposition can be protected, leading to quantum correlations useful for atom interferometry even after many loss events.
Mach-Zehnder atom interferometry requires hold-time phase-squeezing to attain readout accuracy below the standard quantum limit. This increases its sensitivity to phase-diffusion, restoring shot-noise scaling of the optimal signal-to-noise ratio, $s_o$, in the presence of interactions. The contradiction between the preparations required for readout accuracy and robustness to interactions, is removed by monitoring Rabi-Josephson oscillations instead of relative-phase oscillations during signal acquisition. Optimizing $s_o$ with a Gaussian squeezed input, we find that hold-time number squeezing …
We demonstrate that the two degenerate energy levels in spin-orbit coupled trapped Bose gases, coupled by a quenched Zeeman field, can be used for angular momentum Josephson effect. In a static quenched field, we can realize a Josephson oscillation with period ranging from millisecond to hundreds of milliseconds. Moreover, by a driven Zeeman field, we realize a new Josephson oscillation, in which the population imbalance may have the same expression as the current in the directed current (dc) Josephson effect. When the dynamics of condensate can not follow up the modulation frequency, it the s…
An instanton method is proposed to investigate the quantum tunneling between two weakly-linked Bose-Einstein condensates confined in double-well potential traps. We point out some intrinsic pathologies in the earlier treatments of other authors and make an effort to go beyond these very simple zero order models. The tunneling amplitude may be calculated in the Thomas-Fermi approximation and beyond it; we find it depends on the number of the trapped atoms, through the chemical potential. Some suggestions are given for the observation of the Josephson oscillation and the MQST.
We consider a Bose-Josephson junction (BJJ) formed by a binary mixture of ultracold atoms to investigate the manifestation of coherent collective dynamics on ergodicity and quantum scars, unfolding the connection between them. By tuning the inter- and intra-species interaction, we demonstrate a rich variety of Josephson dynamics and transitions between them, which plays a crucial role in controlling the overall ergodic behavior. The signature of underlying classicality is revealed from the entanglement spectrum, which also elucidates the formation of quantum scars of unstable steady states and…
In a two-mode Bose-Josephson junction formed by a binary mixture of ultracold atoms, macroscopic superpositions of phase states are produced during the time evolution after a sudden quench to zero of the coupling amplitude. Using quantum trajectories and an exact diagonalization of the master equation, we study the effect of one-, two-, and three-body atom losses on the superpositions by analyzing separately the amount of quantum correlations in each subspace with fixed atom number. The quantum correlations useful for atom interferometry are estimated using the quantum Fisher information. We i…
Why does spontaneous symmetry breaking occur? Why is a state breaking symmetry realized? We explore an idea that measurement selects such a state even if a system is given in a state respecting the symmetry of the system. We point out that the spectrum of the relevant observable is important, and simply apply the projection postulate for quantum measurement. We first show that this approach correctly describes the well-known interference of Bose-Einstein condensates. We then examine a fermionic system and prove that superconducting states with a definite relative phase are selected by the meas…
We present an elementary model of the collapses and revivals in the visibility of the interference between two atomic Bose-Einstein condensates. We obtain different predictions of the revival times whether we conserve or break atom number conservation from the outset. The validity of Bose-broken symmetry can be tested by observations of these collapses and revivals.
We discuss the effect of anomalous quantum-reflection of Bose-Einstein condensates as a screening effect, that is created by the condensate itself. We derive an effective, time-independent single-mode approach, that allows us to define different paths of reflection. We compare our theory with experimental results.
We study theoretically the dynamics of two weakly-coupled Bose-Josephson junctions, prepared with the same particle number $N$ and Josephson excitation number $ν$ but with different reduced one-particle purity $γ$. A novel entropy oscillation mode is predicted, in which one-particle coherence is transferred between the Bose-Hubbard dimers with no particle or energy transfer. We explain this purity oscillation using a semiclassical picture.
I present an interconversion currents algebra for an atom-molecule Bose-Einstein condensate model and use it to get the quantum dynamics of the currents. For different choices of the Hamiltonian parameters I get different currents dynamics.
We present a model describing the decay of a Bose-Einstein condensate, which assumes the system to remain in thermal equilibrium during the decay. We show that under this assumption transfer of atoms occurs from the condensate to the thermal cloud enhancing the condensate decay rate.
We examine the internal structure of the ground states of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate in which atoms have three internal hyperfine spins. We determine a set of collective spin states which minimize the interaction energy between condensate atoms. We also examine the internal dynamics of an initially spin polarized condensate. The time scale of spin-mixing is predicted.
Collapsing Bose-Einstein condensates are rich and complex quantum systems for which quantitative explanation by simple models has proved elusive. We present new experimental data on the collapse of high density Rb-85 condensates with attractive interactions and find quantitative agreement with the predictions of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. The collapse data and measurements of the decay of atoms from our condensates allow us to put new limits on the value of the Rb-85 three-body loss coefficient K_3 at small positive and negative scattering lengths.
We propose an experiment for entangling two spatially separated Bose-Einstein condensates by Bragg scattering of light. When Bragg scattering in two condensates is stimulated by a common probe, the resulting quasiparticles in the two condensates get entangled due to quantum communication between the condensates via probe beam. The entanglement is shown to be significant and occurs in both number and quadrature phase variables. We present two methods of detecting the generated entanglement.
Preparation of molecular quantum gas promises novel applications including quantum control of chemical reactions, precision measurements, quantum simulation and quantum information processing. Experimental preparation of colder and denser molecular samples, however, is frequently hindered by fast inelastic collisions that heat and deplete the population. Here we report the formation of two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) of spinning $g-$wave molecules by inducing pairing interactions in an atomic condensate. The trap geometry and the low temperature of the molecules help reducing …
The condensate number distribution during the transition of a dilute, weakly interacting gas of N=200 bosonic atoms into a Bose-Einstein condensate is modeled within number conserving master equation theory of Bose-Einstein condensation. Initial strong quantum fluctuations occuring during the exponential cycle of condensate growth reduce in a subsequent saturation stage, before the Bose gas finally relaxes towards the Gibbs-Boltzmann equilibrium.
We describe the transition of $N$ weakly interacting atoms into a Bose-Einstein condensate within a number-conserving quantum master equation theory. Based on the separation of time scales for condensate formation and non-condensate thermalization, we derive a master equation for the condensate subsystem in the presence of the non-condensate environment under the inclusion of all two body interaction processes. We numerically monitor the condensate particle number distribution during condensate formation, and derive a condition under which the unique equilibrium steady state of a dilute, weakl…
We calculate the condensate fraction and the condensate and non-condensate spatial and momentum distribution of the Bose-Hubbard model in a trap. From our results, it is evident that using approximate distributions can lead to erroneous experimental estimates of the condensate. Strong interactions cause the condensate to develop pedestal-like structures around the central peak that can be mistaken as non-condensate atoms. Near the transition temperature, the peak itself can include a significant non-condensate component. Using distributions generated from QMC simulations, experiments can map t…
I introduce two family of exactly solvable models for multiatomic hetero-nuclear and homo-nuclear molecular Bose-Einstein condensates through the algebraic Bethe ansatz method. The conserved quantities of the respective models are also showed.
