Stationary quantum statistics of a non-Markovian atom laser
Abstract
We present a steady state analysis of a quantum-mechanical model of an atom laser. A single-mode atomic trap coupled to a continuum of external modes is driven by a saturable pumping mechanism. In the dilute flux regime, where atom-atom interactions are negligible in the output, we have been able to solve this model without making the Born-Markov approximation. The more exact treatment has a different effective damping rate and occupation of the lasing mode, as well as a shifted frequency and linewidth of the output. We examine gravitational damping numerically, finding linewidths and frequency shifts for a range of pumping rates. We treat mean field damping analytically, finding a memory function for the Thomas-Fermi regime. The occupation and linewidth are found to have a nonlinear scaling behavior which has implications for the stability of atom lasers.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0210688,
title = {Stationary quantum statistics of a non-Markovian atom laser},
author = {A. S. Bradley and J. J. Hope and M. J. Collett},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0210688},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PRA