Theory of Bose-Einstein condensation in trapped gases

Franco Dalfovo, Stefano Giorgini, Lev P. Pitaevskii, and Sandro Stringari
Rev. Mod. Phys. 71, 463 – Published 1 April 1999
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Abstract

The phenomenon of Bose-Einstein condensation of dilute gases in traps is reviewed from a theoretical perspective. Mean-field theory provides a framework to understand the main features of the condensation and the role of interactions between particles. Various properties of these systems are discussed, including the density profiles and the energy of the ground-state configurations, the collective oscillations and the dynamics of the expansion, the condensate fraction and the thermodynamic functions. The thermodynamic limit exhibits a scaling behavior in the relevant length and energy scales. Despite the dilute nature of the gases, interactions profoundly modify the static as well as the dynamic properties of the system; the predictions of mean-field theory are in excellent agreement with available experimental results. Effects of superfluidity including the existence of quantized vortices and the reduction of the moment of inertia are discussed, as well as the consequences of coherence such as the Josephson effect and interference phenomena. The review also assesses the accuracy and limitations of the mean-field approach.

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.71.463

    ©1999 American Physical Society

    Authors & Affiliations

    Franco Dalfovo and Stefano Giorgini

    • Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento and Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia, I-38050 Povo, Italy

    Lev P. Pitaevskii

    • Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento and Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia, I-38050 Povo, Italy
    • Department of Physics, TECHNION, Haifa 32000, Israel
    • Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems, ul. Kosygina 2, 117334 Moscow

    Sandro Stringari

    • Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento and Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia, I-38050 Povo, Italy

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    Issue

    Vol. 71, Iss. 3 — April - June 1999

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