Abstract
A Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) interacting with an optical field via a feedback mirror can be a realization of the quantum Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, a paradigmatic model of long-range interactions in quantum systems. We demonstrate that the self-structuring instability displayed by an initially uniform BEC can evolve as predicted by the quantum HMF model, displaying quasiperiodic “chevron” dynamics for strong driving. For weakly driven self-structuring, the BEC and optical field behave as a two-state quantum system, regularly oscillating between a spatially uniform state and a spatially periodic state. It also predicts the width of stable optomechanical droplets and the dependence of droplet width on optical pump intensity. The results presented suggest that optical diffraction-mediated interactions between atoms in a BEC may be a route to experimental realization of quantum HMF dynamics and a useful analog for studying quantum systems involving long-range interactions.
- Received 14 October 2022
- Accepted 9 June 2023
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L032004
Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.
Published by the American Physical Society