Oscillations and interactions of dark and dark-bright solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates

• Published in: arXiv.org 2008-04
• Main Authors: Becker, C, Stellmer, S, Soltan-Panahi, P, Dörscher, S, Baumert, M, E -M Richter, Kronjäger, J, Bongs, K, Sengstock, K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrophysics; Bose-Einstein condensates; Dynamical systems; Excitation; Linear systems; Matter & antimatter; Molecular biology; Nonlinear control; Nonlinear systems; Optical communication; Oscillations; Solitary waves
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.0804.0544

Solitons are among the most distinguishing fundamental excitations in a wide range of non-linear systems such as water in narrow channels, high speed optical communication, molecular biology and astrophysics. Stabilized by a balance between spreading and focusing, solitons are wavepackets, which share some exceptional generic features like form-stability and particle-like properties. Ultra-cold quantum gases represent very pure and well-controlled non-linear systems, therefore offering unique possibilities to study soliton dynamics. Here we report on the first observation of long-lived dark and dark-bright solitons with lifetimes of up to several seconds as well as their dynamics in highly stable optically trapped \(^{87}\)Rb Bose-Einstein condensates. In particular, our detailed studies of dark and dark-bright soliton oscillations reveal the particle-like nature of these collective excitations for the first time. In addition, we discuss the collision between these two types of solitary excitations in Bose-Einstein condensates.