6533b7dafe1ef96bd126e1a2

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Persistent currents in a circular array of Bose-Einstein condensates

Gh.-s. ParaoanuGh.-s. Paraoanu

subject

Condensed Matter::Quantum GasesPhysicsParticle numberCondensed matter physicsCondensed Matter (cond-mat)FOS: Physical sciencesCondensed MatterStability (probability)Atomic and Molecular Physics and Opticslaw.inventionCircular bufferlawQuasiparticleRelative phaseAtomic physicsBose–Einstein condensateQuantum tunnelling

description

A ring-shaped array of Bose-Einstein condensed atomic gases can display circular currents if the relative phase of neighboring condensates becomes locked to certain values. It is shown that, irrespective of the mechanism responsible for generating these states, only a restricted set of currents are stable, depending on the number of condensates, on the interaction and tunneling energies, and on the total number of particles. Different instabilities due to quasiparticle excitations are characterized and possible experimental setups for testing the stability prediction are also discussed.

https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.67.023607