Towards a generalized Landau-Zener formula for an interacting Bose-Einstein condensate in a two-level system

D. Witthaut, E. M. Graefe, and H. J. Korsch
Phys. Rev. A 73, 063609 – Published 7 June 2006

Abstract

We consider the Landau-Zener problem for a Bose-Einstein condensate in a linearly varying two-level system, for the full many-particle system as well as in the mean-field approximation. Novel nonlinear eigenstates emerge in the mean-field description, which leads to a breakdown of adiabaticity: The Landau-Zener transition probability does not vanish even in the adiabatic limit. It is shown that the emergence of nonlinear eigenstates and thus the breakdown of adiabaticity corresponds to quasi-degenerate avoided crossings of the many-particle levels. The many-particle problem can be solved approximately within an independent crossings approximation, which yields an explicit generalized Landau-Zener formula. A comparison to numerical results for the many-particle system and the mean-field approximation shows an excellent agreement.

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  • Received 20 February 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.73.063609

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

D. Witthaut*, E. M. Graefe, and H. J. Korsch

  • FB Physik, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, D-67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany

  • *Electronic address: witthaut@physik.uni-kl.de

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Issue

Vol. 73, Iss. 6 — June 2006

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