Optimal conversion of an atomic to a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate

The work in this article extends the optimal control framework of variational calculus to optimize the conversion of a Bose-Einstein condensate of atoms to one of molecules. It represents the derivation of the closed form optimal control equations for a system governed by a nonlinear Schrödinger equation and its successful application. It was necessary to derive a density matrix formulation of the coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations to optimize STIRAP-like Raman light fields, to overcome dissipation.