Testing Broken U(1) Symmetry in a Two-Component Atomic Bose-Einstein Condensate
Statistical Mechanics
2009-10-31 v1
Abstract
We present a scheme for determining if the quantum state of a small trapped Bose-Einstein condensate is a state with well defined number of atoms, a Fock state, or a state with a broken U(1) gauge symmetry, a coherent state. The proposal is based on the observation of Ramsey fringes. The population difference observed in a Ramsey fringe experiment will exhibit collapse and revivals due to the mean-field interactions. The collapse and revival times depend on the relative strength of the mean-field interactions for the two components and the initial quantum state of the condensate.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0012463,
title = {Testing Broken U(1) Symmetry in a Two-Component Atomic Bose-Einstein Condensate},
author = {C. P. Search and P. R. Berman},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0012463},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
20 Pages RevTex, 3 Figures