Self-interference of a single Bose Einstein condensate due to boundary effects
Abstract
A simple model wavefunction, consisting of a linear combination of two free-particle Gaussians, describes many of the observed features seen in the interactions of two isolated Bose Einstein condensates (BECs) as they expand, overlap and interfere. It is shown that a simple extension of this idea can be used to predict the qualitative time-development of a single expanding BEC produced near an infinite wall boundary, giving similar interference phenomena. Other possible time-dependent behaviours of single BECs in restricted geometries, such as wave packet revivals are also briefly discussed.
- Publication:
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Physica Scripta
- Pub Date:
- June 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0031-8949/73/6/025
- arXiv:
- arXiv:quant-ph/0511075
- Bibcode:
- 2006PhyS...73..681R
- Keywords:
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- Quantum Physics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, no figures, to appear in Physica Scripta