Ideal Quantum Gases in D-dimensional Space and Power-law Potentials

We investigate ideal quantum gases in D-dimensional space and confined in a generic external potential by using the semiclassical approximation. In particular, we derive density of states, density profiles and critical temperatures for Fermions and Bosons trapped in isotropic power-law potentials. Form such results, one can easily obtain those of quantum gases in a rigid box and in a harmonic trap. Finally, we show that the Bose-Einstein condensation can set up in a confining power-law potential if and only if ${D/2}+{D/n}>1$, where $D$ is the space dimension and $n$ is the power-law exponent.Comment: 18 pages, Latex, to be published in Journal of Mathematical Physic

Instability and Chaos in Spatially Homogeneous Field Theories

Spatially homogeneous field theories are studied in the framework of dynamical system theory. In particular we consider a model of inflationary cosmology and a Yang-Mills-Higgs system. We discuss also the role of quantum chaos and its application to field theories.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures, to be published in J. Math. Phy

Dynamics of a BEC bright soliton in an expulsive potential

We theoretically investigate the dynamics of a matter-wave soliton created in a harmonic potential, which is attractive in the transverse direction but expulsive in the longitudinal direction. This Bose-Einstein-condensate (BEC) bright soliton made of $^7$Li atoms has been observed in a recent experiment (Science {\bf 296}, 1290 (2002)). We show that the non-polynomial Schr\"odinger equation, an effective one-dimensional equation we derived from the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation, is able to reproduce the main experimental features of this BEC soliton in an expulsive potential.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures (2 of them with colors

Reliable equation of state for composite bosons in the 2D BCS-BEC crossover

We briefly discuss recent experiments on the BCS-BEC crossover with ultracold alkali-metal atoms both in three-dimensional configurations and two-dimensional ones. Then we analyze the quantum-field-theory formalism used to describe an attractive $D$-dimensional Fermi gas taking into account Gaussian fluctuations. Finally, we apply this formalism to obtain a reliable equation of state of the 2D system at low temperaratures in the BEC regime of the crossover by performing a meaningful dimensional regularization of the divergent zero-point energy of collective bosonic excitations.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, presented to the Conference SUPERSTRIPES 2015, June 13-18, 2015 (Ischia, Italy), Proceedings to be published in the Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetis

Goldstone and Higgs Hydrodynamics in the BCS-BEC Crossover

We discuss the derivation of a low-energy effective field theory of phase (Goldstone) and amplitude (Higgs) modes of the pairing field from a microscopic theory of attractive fermions. The coupled equations for Goldstone and Higgs fields are critically analyzed in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) to Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) crossover both in three spatial dimensions and in two spatial dimensions. The crucial role of pair fluctuations is investigated, and the beyond-mean-field Gaussian theory of the BCS-BEC crossover is compared with available experimental data of the two-dimensional ultracold Fermi superfluid.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, to be published in the Special Issue "Control and Enhancement of Quantum Coherence in Nanostructured Materials" (Eds. A. Perali and A. Ricci) of the open-access journal Condensed Matte

Self-consistent derivation of the modified Gross-Pitaevskii equation with Lee-Huang-Yang correction

We consider a dilute and ultracold bosonic gas of weakly-interacting atoms. Within the framework of quantum field theory we derive a zero-temperature modified Gross-Pitaevskii equation with beyond-mean-field corrections due to quantum depletion and anomalous density. This result is obtained from the stationary equation of the Bose-Einstein order parameter coupled to the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations of the out-of-condensate field operator. We show that, in the presence of a generic external trapping potential, the key steps to get the modified Gross-Pitaevskii equation are the semiclassical approximation for the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations, a slowly-varying order parameter, and a small quantum depletion. In the uniform case, from the modified Gross-Pitaevskii equation we get the familiar equation of state with Lee-Huang-Yang correction.Comment: 7 pages, invited contribution for the special issue "Optical Properties of Confined Quantum Systems" of the journal Applied Sciences, included the effect of anomalous densit

Non-Universal Equation of State of the Two-Dimensional Bose Gas

For a dilute two-dimensional Bose gas the universal equation of state has a logarithmic dependence on the s-wave scattering length. Here we derive non-universal corrections to this equation of state taking account finite-range effects of the inter-atomic potential. Our beyond-mean-field analytical results are obtained performing dimensional regularization of divergent zero-point quantum fluctuations within the finite-temperature formalism of functional integration. In particular, we find that in the grand canonical ensemble the pressure has a nonpolynomial dependence on the finite- range parameter and it is a highly nontrivial function of chemical potential and temperature.Comment: 5 pages, to be published in Phys. Rev. Let

Bright solitons in ultracold atoms

We review old and recent experimental and theoretical results on bright solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates made of alkali-metal atoms and under external optical confinement. First we deduce the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation (3D GPE) from the Dirac-Frenkel action of interacting identical bosons within a time-dependent Hartree approximation. Then we discuss the dimensional reduction of the GPE from 3D to 1D, deriving the 1D GPE and also the 1D nonpolynomial Schr\"odinger equation (1D NPSE). Finally, we analyze the bright solition solutions of both 1D GPE and 1D NPSE and compare these theoretical predictions with the available experimental data.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, tutorial talk at the VI International School and Conference on Photonics "Photonica 2017", 28 August - 1 September 2017, Belgrade, Serbia; new version: added one figure and some references, corrected typo

Collapse of triaxial bright solitons in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates

We study triaxial bright solitons made of attractive Bose-condensed atoms characterized by the absence of confinement in the longitudinal axial direction but trapped by an anisotropic harmonic potential in the transverse plane. By numerically solving the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation we investigate the effect of the transverse trap anisotropy on the critical interaction strength above which there is the collapse of the condensate. The comparison with previous predictions [Phys. Rev. A {\bf 66}, 043619 (2002)] shows significant differences for large anisotropies.Comment: Accepted for the publication in Phys. Lett.

Matter-wave vortices in cigar-shaped and toroidal waveguides

We study vortical states in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) filling a cigar-shaped trap. An effective one-dimensional (1D) nonpolynomial Schroedinger equation (NPSE) is derived in this setting, for the models with both repulsive and attractive inter-atomic interactions. Analytical formulas for the density profiles are obtained from the NPSE in the case of self-repulsion within the Thomas-Fermi approximation, and in the case of the self-attraction as exact solutions (bright solitons). A crucially important ingredient of the analysis is the comparison of these predictions with direct numerical solutions for the vortex states in the underlying 3D Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE). The comparison demonstrates that the NPSE provides for a very accurate approximation, in all the cases, including the prediction of the stability of the bright solitons and collapse threshold for them. In addition to the straight cigar-shaped trap, we also consider a torus-shaped configuration. In that case, we find a threshold for the transition from the axially uniform state, with the transverse intrinsic vorticity, to a symmetry-breaking pattern, due to the instability in the self-attractive BEC filling the circular trap.Comment: 6 pages, Physical Review A, in pres