Dynamics of matter solitons in weakly modulated optical lattices

It is shown that matter solitons can be effectively managed by means of smooth variations of parameters of optical lattices in which the condensate is loaded. The phenomenon is based on the effect of lattice modulations on the carrier wave transporting the soliton and that is why is well understood in terms of the effective mass approach, where a particular spatial configuration of the band structure is of primary importance. Linear, parabolic, and spatially localized modulations are considered as the case examples. It is shown that these defects can originate accelerating and oscillating motion of matter solitons as well as simulate soliton interaction with attractive and repulsive defects.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures (text with major revision

Scattering properties of a PT dipole

Electromagnetic response of a PT dipole is studied both analytically and numerically. In the analytical approach, the dipole is represented by two point scatterers. Within the first Born approximation, the asymmetry of the scattering field with respect to the orientation of the dipole is proven. In numerical simulations, the dipole is represented by two infinitely long, parallel cylinders with opposite sign of the imaginary part of a refractive index. Numerical data confirm the validity of the Born approximation in the weak scattering limit, while significant deviations from the Born approximation were observed for stronger scatterers and in the near-field range.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Nonlinear tunneling in two-dimensional lattices

We present thorough analysis of the nonlinear tunneling of Bose-Einstein condensates in static and accelerating two-dimensional lattices within the framework of the mean-field approximation. We deal with nonseparable lattices considering different initial atomic distributions in the highly symmetric states. For analytical description of the condensate before instabilities are developed, we derive several few-mode models, analyzing both essentially nonlinear and quasi-linear regimes of tunneling. By direct numerical simulations, we show that two-mode models provide accurate description of the tunneling when either initially two states are populated or tunneling occurs between two stable states. Otherwise a two-mode model may give only useful qualitative hints for understanding tunneling but does not reproduce many features of the phenomenon. This reflects crucial role of the instabilities developed due to two-body interactions resulting in non-negligible population of the higher bands. This effect becomes even more pronounced in the case of accelerating lattices. In the latter case we show that the direction of the acceleration is a relevant physical parameter which affects the tunneling by changing the atomic rates at different symmetric states and by changing the numbers of bands involved in the atomic transfer

Suppressed superconductivity in ultrathin Mo2N films due to pair-breaking at the interface

A strong disorder characterized by a small product of the Fermi vector kF and the electron mean free l drives superconductors towards insulating state. Such disorder can be introduced by making the films very thin. Here, we present 3-nm Mo2N film with k_F*l ~ 2 with a resistive superconducting transition temperature Tc = 2 K heavily suppressed in comparison with the bulk Tc. Superconducting density of states (DOS) with smeared gap-like peaks and in-gap states, so called Dynes DOS, is observed by the low temperature tunneling spectroscopy despite a sharp resistive transition. By scanning tunneling microscope the spectral maps are obtained and related to the surface topography. The maps show a spatial variation of the superconducting energy gap on the order of 20 % which is not accidental but well correlates with the surface corrugation: protrusions reveal larger gap, smaller spectral smearing and smaller in-gap states. In agreement with our previous measurements on ultrathin MoC films we suggest that the film-substrate interface introducing the local pair-breaking is responsible for the observed effects and generally for the suppression of the superconductivity in these ultrathin films.Comment: Manuscript with 3 Figure

Superfluidity of Bose-Einstein condensates in toroidal traps with nonlinear lattices

Superfluid properties of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) in toroidal quasi-one-dimensional traps are investigated in the presence of periodic scattering length modulations along the ring. The existence of several types of stable periodic waves, ranging from almost uniform to very fragmented chains of weakly interacting and equally spaced solitons, is demonstrated. We show that these waves may support persistent atomic currents and sound waves with spectra of Bogoliubov type. Fragmented condensates can be viewed as arrays of Josephson junctions and the current as a BEC manifestation of the dc-Josephson effect. The influence of linear defects on BEC superfluidity has been also investigated. We found that for subcritical velocities, linear defects that are static with respect to the lattice (while the condensate moves in respect to both the optical lattice and the defect) preserve the BEC superfluidity

Optical control of photon tunneling through an array of nanometer scale cylindrical channels

We report first observation of photon tunneling gated by light at a different wavelength in an artificially created array of nanometer scale cylindrical channels in a thick gold film. Polarization properties of gated light provide strong proof of the enhanced nonlinear optical mixing in nanometric channels involved in the process. This suggests the possibility of building a new class of "gated" photon tunneling devices for massive parallel all-optical signal and image processing.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Superfluidity breakdown of periodic matter waves in quasi one-dimensional annular traps via resonant scattering with moving defects

We investigate, both analytically and numerically, the quasisuperfluidity properties of periodic Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in a quasi-one-dimensional (1D) ring with optical lattices (OL) of different kinds (linear and nonlinear) and with a moving defect of an infinite mass inside. To study the dynamics of the condensate we used a mean-field approximation describing the condensate by use of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation for the order parameter. We show that the resonant scattering of sound Bloch waves with the defect profoundly affect BEC superfluidity. In particular, a moving defect always leads to the breakdown of superfluidity independently of the value of its velocity. For weak periodic potentials the superfluidity breakdown may occur on a very long time scale (quasisuperfluidity) but the breakdown process can be accelerated by increasing the strength of the OL. Quite remarkably, we find that when the length of the ring is small enough to imply the discreteness of the reciprocal space, it becomes possible to avoid the resonant scattering and to restore quasi-superfluidity.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)Programma di Ricerca Scientifica di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (Italy

Disorder- and magnetic field-tuned fermionic superconductor-insulator transition in MoN thin films. Transport and STM studies

Superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) driven by disorder and transverse magnetic field has been investigated in ultrathin MoN films by means of transport measurements and scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Upon decreasing thickness, the homogeneously disordered films show increasing sheet resistance Rs, shift of the superconducting transition Tc to lower temperatures with the 3 nm MoN being the last superconducting film and thinner films already insulating. Fermionic scenario of SIT is evidenced by applicability of the Finkelsteins model, by the fact that Tc and the superconducting gap are coupled with a constant ratio, and by the spatial homogeneity of the superconducting and electronic characteristics. The logarithmic anomaly found in the tunneling spectra of the non-superconducting films is further enhanced in increased magnetic field due to the Zeeman spin effects driving the system deeper into the insulating state and pointing also to fermionic SIT.Comment: Manuscript (6 Figures) including Supplemental Materials (7 Figures