Delocalizing transition of multidimensional solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates

Critical behavior of solitonic waveforms of Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices (OL) has been studied in the framework of continuous mean-field equation. In 2D and 3D OLs bright matter-wave solitons undergo abrupt delocalization as the strength of the OL is decreased below some critical value. Similar delocalizing transition happens when the coefficient of nonlinearity crosses the critical value. Contrarily, bright solitons in 1D OLs retain their integrity over the whole range of parameter variations. The interpretation of the phenomenon in terms of quantum bound states in the effective potential is proposed.Comment: 12 pages, 19 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Matter-wave solitons in radially periodic potentials

We investigate two-dimensional (2D) states of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) with self-attraction or self-repulsion, trapped in an axially symmetric optical-lattice potential periodic along the radius. Unlike previously studied 2D models with Bessel lattices, no localized states exist in the linear limit of the present model, hence all localized states are truly nonlinear ones. We consider the states trapped in the central potential well, and in remote circular troughs. In both cases, a new species, in the form of \textit{radial gap solitons}, are found in the repulsive model (the gap soliton trapped in a circular trough may additionally support stable dark-soliton pairs). In remote troughs, stable localized states may assume a ring-like shape, or shrink into strongly localized solitons. The existence of stable annular states, both azimuthally uniform and weakly modulated ones, is corroborated by simulations of the corresponding Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Dynamics of strongly localized solitons circulating in the troughs is also studied. While the solitons with sufficiently small velocities are stable, fast solitons gradually decay, due to the leakage of matter into the adjacent trough under the action of the centrifugal force. Collisions between solitons are investigated too. Head-on collisions of in-phase solitons lead to the collapse; $\pi$-out of phase solitons bounce many times, but eventually merge into a single soliton without collapsing. The proposed setting may also be realized in terms of spatial solitons in photonic-crystal fibers with a radial structure.Comment: 16 pages, 23 figure

Interaction of solitons in dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates and formation of soliton molecules

The interaction between two bright solitons in a dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) has been investigated aiming at finding the regimes when they form a stable bound state, known as soliton molecule. To study soliton interactions in BEC we employed a method similar to that used in experimental investigation of the interaction between solitons in optical fibers. The idea consists in creating two solitons at some spatial separation from each other at initial time $t_0$, and then measuring the distance between them at a later time $t_1 > t_0$. Depending on whether the distance between solitons has increased, decreased or remained unchanged, compared to its initial value at $t_0$, we conclude that soliton interaction was repulsive, attractive or neutral, respectively. We propose an experimentally viable method for estimating the binding energy of a soliton molecule, based on its dissociation at critical soliton velocity. Our theoretical analysis is based on the variational approach, which appears to be quite accurate in describing the properties of soliton molecules in dipolar BEC, as reflected in good agreement between the analytical and numerical results.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Multidimensional semi-gap solitons in a periodic potential

The existence, stability and other dynamical properties of a new type of multi-dimensional (2D or 3D) solitons supported by a transverse low-dimensional (1D or 2D, respectively) periodic potential in the nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation with the self-defocusing cubic nonlinearity are studied. The equation describes propagation of light in a medium with normal group-velocity dispersion (GVD). Strictly speaking, solitons cannot exist in the model, as its spectrum does not support a true bandgap. Nevertheless, the variational approximation (VA) and numerical computations reveal stable solutions that seem as completely localized ones, an explanation to which is given. The solutions are of the gap-soliton type in the transverse direction(s), in which the periodic potential acts in combination with the diffraction and self-defocusing nonlinearity. Simultaneously, in the longitudinal (temporal) direction these are ordinary solitons, supported by the balance of the normal GVD and defocusing nonlinearity. Stability of the solitons is predicted by the VA, and corroborated by direct simulations.Comment: European Physical Joournal D, in pres

Symbiotic gap and semi-gap solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates

Using the variational approximation and numerical simulations, we study one-dimensional gap solitons in a binary Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in an optical-lattice potential. We consider the case of inter-species repulsion, while the intra-species interaction may be either repulsive or attractive. Several types of gap solitons are found: symmetric or asymmetric; unsplit or split, if centers of the components coincide or separate; intra-gap (with both chemical potentials falling into a single bandgap) or inter-gap, otherwise. In the case of the intra-species attraction, a smooth transition takes place between solitons in the semi-infinite gap, the ones in the first finite bandgap, and semi-gap solitons (with one component in a bandgap and the other in the semi-infinite gap).Comment: 5 pages, 9 figure

Multidimensional solitons in periodic potentials

The existence of stable solitons in two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) media governed by the self-focusing cubic nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation with a periodic potential is demonstrated by means of the variational approximation (VA) and in direct simulations. The potential stabilizes the solitons against collapse. Direct physical realizations are a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped in an optical lattice, and a light beam in a bulk Kerr medium of a photonic-crystal type. In the 2D case, the creation of the soliton in a weak lattice potential is possible if the norm of the field (number of atoms in BEC, or optical power in the Kerr medium) exceeds a threshold value (which is smaller than the critical norm leading to collapse). Both "single-cell" and "multi-cell" solitons are found, which occupy, respectively, one or several cells of the periodic potential, depending on the soliton's norm. Solitons of the former type and their stability are well predicted by VA. Stable 2D vortex solitons are found too.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Europhys. Lett., in pres

Matter wave soliton bouncer

Dynamics of a matter wave soliton bouncing on the reflecting surface (atomic mirror) under the effect of gravity has been studied by analytical and numerical means. The analytical description is based on the variational approach. Resonant oscillations of the soliton's center of mass and width, induced by appropriate modulation of the atomic scattering length and the slope of the linear potential are analyzed. In numerical experiments we observe the Fermi type acceleration of the soliton when the vertical position of the reflecting surface is periodically varied in time. Analytical predictions are compared with the results of numerical simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation and qualitative agreement between them is found.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure