Bose-Einstein condensates in a one-dimensional double square well: Analytical solutions of the nonlinear Schroedinger equation

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2002 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.66.063607· OSTI ID:20632475

Mahmud, K W ^[1]; Kutz, J N ^[2]; Reinhardt, W P ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1560 (United States)
2. Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-2420 (United States)

We present a representative set of analytic stationary-state solutions of the nonlinear Schroedinger equation for a symmetric double-square-well potential for both attractive and repulsive nonlinearity. In addition to the usual symmetry-preserving even and odd states, nonlinearity introduces quite exotic symmetry-breaking solutions--among them are trains of solitons with different number and sizes of density lumps in the two wells. We use the symmetry-breaking localized solutions to form macroscopic quantum superposition states and explore a simple model for the exponentially small tunneling splitting.

• OSTI ID: 20632475
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 66, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.66.063607; (c) 2002 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
DENSITY
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
SCHROEDINGER EQUATION
SOLITONS
SQUARE-WELL POTENTIAL
SYMMETRY
SYMMETRY BREAKING
TUNNEL EFFECT