Density modulations in an elongated Bose-Einstein condensate released from a disordered potential

We observe large density modulations in time-of-flight images of elongated Bose-Einstein condensates, initially confined in a harmonic trap and in the presence of weak disorder. The development of these modulations during the time-of-flight and their dependence with the disorder are investigated. We render an account of this effect using numerical and analytical calculations. We conclude that the observed large density modulations originate from the weak initial density modulations induced by the disorder, and not from initial phase fluctuations (thermal or quantum).Comment: Published version; 4+ pages; 4 figure

Quantum glass phases in the disordered Bose-Hubbard model

The phase diagram of the Bose-Hubbard model in the presence of off-diagonal disorder is determined using Quantum Monte Carlo simulations. A sequence of quantum glass phases intervene at the interface between the Mott insulating and the Superfluid phases of the clean system. In addition to the standard Bose glass phase, the coexistence of gapless and gapped regions close to the Mott insulating phase leads to a novel Mott glass regime which is incompressible yet gapless. Numerical evidence for the properties of these phases is given in terms of global (compressibility, superfluid stiffness) and local (compressibility, momentum distribution) observables

Optimal quantum control of Bose Einstein condensates in magnetic microtraps

Transport of Bose-Einstein condensates in magnetic microtraps, controllable by external parameters such as wire currents or radio-frequency fields, is studied within the framework of optimal control theory (OCT). We derive from the Gross-Pitaevskii equation the optimality system for the OCT fields that allow to efficiently channel the condensate between given initial and desired states. For a variety of magnetic confinement potentials we study transport and wavefunction splitting of the condensate, and demonstrate that OCT allows to drastically outperfrom more simple schemes for the time variation of the microtrap control parameters.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Mach-Zehnder interferometry with interacting trapped Bose-Einstein condensates

We theoretically analyze a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with trapped condensates, and find that it is surprisingly stable against the nonlinearity induced by inter-particle interactions. The phase sensitivity, which we study for number squeezed input states, can overcome the shot noise limit and be increased up to the Heisenberg limit provided that a Bayesian or Maximum-Likelihood phase estimation strategy is used. We finally demonstrate robustness of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer in presence of interactions against condensate oscillations and a realistic atom counting error.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, minor revision

Trapping and manipulating neutral atoms with electrostatic fields

We report on experiments with cold thermal $^7$Li atoms confined in combined magnetic and electric potentials. A novel type of three-dimensional trap was formed by modulating a magnetic guide using electrostatic fields. We observed atoms trapped in a string of up to six individual such traps, a controlled transport of an atomic cloud over a distance of 400$\mu$m, and a dynamic splitting of a single trap into a double well potential. Applications for quantum information processing are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Superfluidity versus Anderson localization in a dilute Bose gas

We consider the motion of a quasi one dimensional beam of Bose-Einstein condensed particles in a disordered region of finite extent. Interaction effects lead to the appearance of two distinct regions of stationary flow. One is subsonic and corresponds to superfluid motion. The other one is supersonic, dissipative and shows Anderson localization. We compute analytically the interaction-dependent localization length. We also explain the disappearance of the supersonic stationary flow for large disordered samples.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, final published versio

Spontaneous creation of non-zero angular momentum modes in tunnel-coupled two-dimensional degenerate Bose gases

We investigate the dynamics of two tunnel-coupled two-dimensional degenerate Bose gases. The reduced dimensionality of the clouds enables us to excite specific angular momentum modes by tuning the coupling strength, thereby creating striking patterns in the atom density profile. The extreme sensitivity of the system to the coupling and initial phase difference results in a rich variety of subsequent dynamics, including vortex production, complex oscillations in relative atom number and chiral symmetry breaking due to counter-rotation of the two clouds.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Spectral Properties and Lifetimes of Neutral Spin-1/2-Fermions in a Magnetic Guide

We investigate the resonant motion of neutral spin-1/2-fermions in a magnetic guide. A wealth of unitary and anti-unitary symmetries is revealed in particular giving rise to a two-fold degeneracy of the energy levels. To compute the energies and decay widths of a large number of resonances the complex scaling method is employed. We discuss the dependence of the lifetimes on the angular momentum of the resonance states. In this context the existence of so-called quasi-bound states is shown. In order to approximately calculate the resonance energies of such states a radial Schr\"odinger equation is derived which improves the well-known adiabatic approximation. The effects of an additionally applied homogeneous Ioffe field on the resonance energies and decay widths are also considered. The results are applied to the case of the $^6\text{Li}$ atom in the $F=1/2$ hyperfine ground state.Comment: accepted for publication in PR

Trapping atoms on a transparent permanent-magnet atom chip

We describe experiments on trapping of atoms in microscopic magneto-optical traps on an optically transparent permanent-magnet atom chip. The chip is made of magnetically hard ferrite-garnet material deposited on a dielectric substrate. The confining magnetic fields are produced by miniature magnetized patterns recorded in the film by magneto-optical techniques. We trap Rb atoms on these structures by applying three crossed pairs of counter-propagating laser beams in the conventional magneto-optical trapping (MOT) geometry. We demonstrate the flexibility of the concept in creation and in-situ modification of the trapping geometries through several experiments.Comment: Modifications: A) Reference I. Barb et al., Eur. Phys. JD, 35, 75 (2005) added. B)Sentence rewritten: We routinely capture more than 10^6 atoms in a micro-MOT on a magnetized pattern. C) The magnetic field strengths are now given in Teslas. D) The second sentence in the fourth paragraph has been rewritten in order to more clearly describe the geometry and purpose of the compensation coils.E) In the seventh paragraph we have rewritten the sentence about the creation of the external magnetic field for the magnetic-domain patterning. F) In the ninth paragraph, we clarify the way to shift the trap center. G) Caption of Fig. 4 changed. H) We have modified paragraph 12 to improve the description on the guiding of the trap center along a toroidal pattern. I) The last two sentences of the manuscript have been rewritte

Trapping cold atoms using surface-grown carbon nanotubes

We present a feasibility study for loading cold atomic clouds into magnetic traps created by single-wall carbon nanotubes grown directly onto dielectric surfaces. We show that atoms may be captured for experimentally sustainable nanotube currents, generating trapped clouds whose densities and lifetimes are sufficient to enable detection by simple imaging methods. This opens the way for a novel type of conductor to be used in atomchips, enabling atom trapping at sub-micron distances, with implications for both fundamental studies and for technological applications