English

The dynamics of condensate shells: collective modes and expansion

Other Condensed Matter 2013-05-29 v1

Abstract

We explore the physics of three-dimensional shell-shaped condensates, relevant to cold atoms in "bubble traps" and to Mott insulator-superfluid systems in optical lattices. We study the ground state of the condensate wavefunction, spherically-symmetric collective modes, and expansion properties of such a shell using a combination of analytical and numerical techniques. We find two breathing-type modes with frequencies that are distinct from that of the filled spherical condensate. Upon trap release and subsequent expansion, we find that the system displays self-interference fringes. We estimate characteristic time scales, degree of mass accumulation, three-body loss, and kinetic energy release during expansion for a typical system of Rb87.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0604455,
  title  = {The dynamics of condensate shells: collective modes and expansion},
  author = {C. Lannert and T. -C. Wei and S. Vishveshwara},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0604455},
  year   = {2013}
}