Mean-field dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a time-dependent triple-well trap: Nonlinear eigenstates, Landau-Zener models, and stimulated Raman adiabatic passage

Journal Article · Sun Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.73.0· OSTI ID:20786759

Graefe, E M; Korsch, H J; Witthaut, D ^[1]

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1. FB Physik, Technische Universitaet Kaiserslautern, D-67653 Kaiserslautern (Germany)

We investigate the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a triple-well trap in a three-level approximation. The interatomic interactions are taken into account in a mean-field approximation (Gross-Pitaevskii equation), leading to a nonlinear three-level model. Additional eigenstates emerge due to the nonlinearity, depending on the system parameters. Adiabaticity breaks down if such a nonlinear eigenstate disappears when the parameters are varied. The dynamical implications of this loss of adiabaticity are analyzed for two important special cases: A three-level Landau-Zener model and the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) scheme. We discuss the emergence of looped levels for an equal-slope Landau-Zener model. The Zener tunneling probability does not tend to zero in the adiabatic limit and shows pronounced oscillations as a function of the velocity of the parameter variation. Furthermore we generalize the STIRAP scheme for adiabatic coherent population transfer between atomic states to the nonlinear case. It is shown that STIRAP breaks down if the nonlinearity exceeds the detuning.

• OSTI ID: 20786759
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 73; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
APPROXIMATIONS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
EIGENSTATES
MEAN-FIELD THEORY
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
OSCILLATIONS
PROBABILITY
RAMAN EFFECT
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRAPS
TUNNEL EFFECT
VARIATIONS
WAVE EQUATIONS