Quantum theory of bright matter-wave solitons in harmonic confinement

Abstract

This paper investigates bright quantum-matter-wave solitons beyond the Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE). As proposals for interferometry and creating nonlocal quantum superpositions have been formed, it has become necessary to investigate effects not present in mean-field models. We investigate the effect of harmonic confinement on the internal degrees of freedom, as the ratio of zero-point harmonic oscillator length to classical soliton length, for different numbers of atoms. We derive a first-order energy correction for the addition of a harmonic potential to the many-body wave function and use this to create a variational technique based on energy minimization of this wave function for an arbitrary number of atoms, and include numerics based on diagonalization of the Hamiltonian in a basis of harmonic oscillator Fock states. Finally we compare agreement between a Hartree product ground state and the Bethe ansatz solution with a Gaussian envelope localizing the center of mass and show a region of good agreement. © 2012 American Physical Society.