2000/02/21 by S. Giovanazzi, Augusto Smerzi, A. Smerzi +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics #physics.atom-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.84.4521
4 pages, 1 figure
arxiv created 2000/02/21 · openalex publication_date 2000/05/15 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We propose an experiment that would demonstrate the dc and ac Josephson effects in two weakly linked Bose-Einstein condensates. We consider a time-dependent barrier, moving adiabatically across the trapping potential. The phase dynamics are governed by a "driven-pendulum" equation, as in current-driven superconducting Josephson junctions. At a critical velocity of the barrier (proportional to the critical tunneling current), there is a sharp transition between the dc and ac regimes. The signature is a sudden jump of a large fraction of the relative condensate population. Analytical results are compared with a numerical integration of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, in an experimentally realistic situation.