Papers by Thomas Gasenzer
Physical Review A, 2003
We theoretically study a pulsed stimulated two-photon Raman outcoupler for an atom laser using a ... more We theoretically study a pulsed stimulated two-photon Raman outcoupler for an atom laser using a full threedimensional description. A finite-temperature trapped Bosecondensed atomic gas is treated self-consistently by the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov equations. The model is closely related to a recent experiment on optical outcoupling [E.W. Hagley et al., Science 283, 1706]. We analyze the momentum distribution of the output atoms and show how the output beam may be used as a probe of the quantum state for the trapped atomic gas and how it could be engineered and controlled in a nonlinear way. 03.75.Pp,03.75.Kk,03.75.Hh Energy conservation, determined by Eq. (6), is opti-
We discuss functional-integral approaches to far-from-equilibrium quantum many-body dynamics. Spe... more We discuss functional-integral approaches to far-from-equilibrium quantum many-body dynamics. Specific techniques considered include the two-particle-irreducible effective action and the real-time flow-equation approach. Different applications, including equilibration after a sudden parameter change and non-equilibrium critical phenomena, illustrate the potential of these methods.
Physical Review A, 2010
The dynamical evolution of squeezing correlations in an ultracold Bose-Einstein distributed acros... more The dynamical evolution of squeezing correlations in an ultracold Bose-Einstein distributed across two modes is investigated theoretically in the framework of the Bose-Hubbard model. It is shown that the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian do not exploit the full region allowed by Heisenberg's uncertainty relation for number and phase fluctuations. The development of non-classical correlations and relative number squeezing is studied in the transition from the Josephson to the Fock regime. Comparing the full quantum evolution with classical statistical simulations allows to identify quantum aspects of the squeezing formation. In the quantum regime, the measurement of squeezing allows to distinguish even and odd total particle numbers.
Physical Review B, 2011
Nonthermal fixed points of the dynamics of a dilute degenerate Bose gas are analyzed in two and t... more Nonthermal fixed points of the dynamics of a dilute degenerate Bose gas are analyzed in two and three spatial dimensions. For such systems, universal power-law distributions, previously found within a nonperturbative quantum-field theoretic approach, are shown to be related to vortical dynamics and superfluid turbulence. The results imply an interpretation of the momentum scaling at the nonthermal fixed points in terms of independent vortex excitations of the superfluid. Long-wavelength acoustic excitations on the top of these are found to follow a nonthermal power law. The results shed light on fundamental aspects of superfluid turbulence and have strong potential implications for related phenomena, e.g., in early-universe inflation or quark-gluon plasma dynamics.
Physical Review Letters, 2008
Exact solutions of the Schrödinger equation describing a freely expanding Lieb-Liniger (LL) gas o... more Exact solutions of the Schrödinger equation describing a freely expanding Lieb-Liniger (LL) gas of delta-interacting bosons in one spatial dimension are constructed. The many-body wave function is obtained by transforming a fully antisymmetric (fermionic) time-dependent wave function which obeys the Schrödinger equation for a free gas. This transformation employs a differential Fermi-Bose mapping operator which depends on the strength of the interaction and the number of particles.
Applied Physics B-lasers and Optics, 2011
Nonequilibrium dynamics of an $\mathcal{N}$ -fold spin-degenerate ultracold Fermi gas is describe... more Nonequilibrium dynamics of an $\mathcal{N}$ -fold spin-degenerate ultracold Fermi gas is described in terms of beyond-mean-field Kadanoff–Baym equations for correlation functions. Using a nonperturbative expansion in powers of $1/\mathcal{N}$ , the equations are derived from the two-particle irreducible effective action in Schwinger–Keldysh formulation. The definition of the nonperturbative approximation on the level of the effective action ensures vital conservation laws as, e.g., for the total energy and particle number. As an example, the long-time evolution of a homogeneous, twofold spin-degenerate Fermi gas is studied in one spatial dimension after an initial preparation far from thermal equilibrium. Analysis of the fluctuation-dissipation relation shows that, at low energies, the gas does not thermalize.
European Physical Journal C, 2010
A theory of real-time quantum many-body dynamics is evaluated in detail. It is based on a generat... more A theory of real-time quantum many-body dynamics is evaluated in detail. It is based on a generating functional of correlation functions where the closed time contour extends only to a given time. Expanding the contour from this time to a later time leads to a dynamic flow of the generating functional. This flow describes the dynamics of the system and has an explicit causal structure. In the present work it is evaluated within a vertex expansion of the effective action leading to time-evolution equations for Green functions. These equations are applicable for strongly interacting systems as well as for studying the late-time behavior of non-equilibrium time evolution. For the specific case of a bosonic $\mathcal{N}$ -component φ 4-theory with contact interactions an s-channel truncation is identified to yield equations identical to those derived from the 2PI effective action in next-to-leading order of a $1/\mathcal{N}$ expansion. The presented approach allows to directly obtain non-perturbative dynamic equations beyond the widely used 2PI approximations.
Physics Letters B, 2007
Dynamic equations for quantum fields far from equilibrium are derived by use of functional renorm... more Dynamic equations for quantum fields far from equilibrium are derived by use of functional renormalisation group techniques. The obtained equations are non-perturbative and lead substantially beyond mean-field and quantum Boltzmann type approximations. The approach is based on a regularised version of the generating functional for correlation functions where times greater than a chosen cutoff time are suppressed. As a central result, a time evolution equation for the non-equilibrium effective action is derived, and the time evolution of the Green functions is computed within a vertex expansion. It is shown that this agrees with the dynamics derived from the 1/N -expansion of the two-particle irreducible effective action.
Physical Review A, 2004
We investigate theoretically the molecular yield in photoassociation of Bose-Einstein condensed s... more We investigate theoretically the molecular yield in photoassociation of Bose-Einstein condensed sodium atoms for light intensities of the order of and above those applied in a recent experiment. Our results show that the rate at which ground state molecules may be formed saturates at high light intensities whereas the loss rate of condensate atoms does not. This is caused by the opposing roles of the short and long range pair correlations present near resonance under the influence of the laser and is crucial for the development of efficient photoassociation procedures in a condensate.
We present a study of parity (P) violating contributions to the eigenenergies of stationary syste... more We present a study of parity (P) violating contributions to the eigenenergies of stationary systems containing atoms in spatially inhomogeneous external electric fields. In this context the subtle interplay of P-violation and time reversal (T) invariance plays an important role. If the entire field configuration is chosen to exhibit chirality the energies are in general shifted by pseudoscalar contributions which change sign under a planar reflection of the field. In part I we consider sudden variations of the fields and calculate P-violating energy shifts using perturbation theory. In part II the adiabatic case will be treated and the connection to geometrical (Berry-) phases will be elucidated. To calculate the effects we use the standard model of elementary particle physics where the P-odd interaction arises through the exchange of Z-bosons between the quarks in the nucleus and the atomic electrons. We consider in detail hydrogen-like systems in unstable levels of principal quantum number n = 2. We study atoms with vanishing nuclear spin like 4 2 He + and with nuclear spin I = 1/2 like 1 1 H . The nominal order of P-violating effects is 10 −5 . . . 10 −9 Hz which is determined by the mixing of the 2S 1/2 and 2P 1/2 states. However we point out that with certain configurations of the external fields, it is possible to enhance the P-violating energy shifts dramatically! Instead of energy shifts linear in the P-violation parameters we get then shifts proportional to the square root of these parameters. Numerically we find such energy shifts which only appear for unstable states to be of order 10 −5 ... 1 Hz. Under a reversal of the handedness of the external field configuration these P-violating shifts get multiplied by a phase factor i, i.e. the shifts in the real and imaginary part of the complex eigenenergies are exchanged. Application of our technique to hydrogen-like atoms with a nucleus of spin I = 1/2 yields P-violating energy shifts which are very sensitive to the nuclear spin dependent P-odd force, which receives a rather large contribution from the polarized strange quark density in polarized nuclei. Thus, a measurement of these energy shifts could provide an important tool to elucidate nuclear properties connected to the so called "spin crisis". We also present a method for treating degenerate perturbation theory which combines advantages of both, Kato's and Bloch's methods.
We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitud... more We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitudinal atomic beam spin echo (lABSE) apparatus. Depending on the choice of the external fields the atoms may acquire both dynamical and geometrical quantum mechanical phases. As an example of the former, we show first in-beam spin rotation measurements on atomic hydrogen, which are in excellent agreement with theory. Additional calculations of the behaviour of the metastable 2S states of hydrogen reveal that the geometrical phases may exhibit the signature of parity-(P-)violation. This invites for possible future lABSE experiments, focusing on P-violating geometrical phases in the lightest of all atoms.
European Physical Journal D, 2007
A system of metastable plus unstable states is discussed. The mass matrix governing the time deve... more A system of metastable plus unstable states is discussed. The mass matrix governing the time development of the system is supposed to vary slowly with time. The adiabatic limit for this case is studied and it is shown that only the metastable states obtain the analogs of the dynamical and geometrical phase factors familiar from stable states. Abelian and non-Abelian geometric phase factors for metastable states are defined.
European Physical Journal D, 2009
We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitud... more We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitudinal atomic beam spin echo (lABSE) apparatus. There the atoms acquire geometric (Berry) phases that exhibit a new manifestation of parity-(P-)violation in atomic physics. We provide analytical as well as numerical calculations of the behaviour of the metastable 2S states of hydrogen. The conditions for electromagnetic field configurations that allow for adiabatic evolution of the relevant atomic states are investigated. Our results provide the theoretical basis for the discussion of possible measurements of P-violating geometric phases in lABSE experiments.
Hyperfine Interactions, 2011
We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitud... more We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitudinal atomic beam spin echo (lABSE) apparatus. Depending on the choice of the external fields the atoms may acquire both dynamical and geometrical quantum mechanical phases. As an example of the former, we show first in-beam spin rotation measurements on atomic hydrogen, which are in excellent agreement with theory. Additional calculations of the behaviour of the metastable 2S states of hydrogen reveal that the geometrical phases may exhibit the signature of parity-(P-)violation. This invites for possible future lABSE experiments, focusing on P-violating geometrical phases in the lightest of all atoms.
American Journal of Physics, 2010
We have designed, built and operated a physical pendulum which allows one to demonstrate experime... more We have designed, built and operated a physical pendulum which allows one to demonstrate experimentally the behaviour of the pendulum under any equation of motion for such a device for any initial conditions. All parameters in the equation of motion can be defined by the user. The potential of the apparatus reaches from demonstrating simple undamped harmonic oscillations to complex chaotic behaviour of the pendulum. The position data of the pendulum as well as derived kinematical quantities like velocity and acceleration can be stored for later offline analysis.
European Physical Journal D, 2007
We discuss and calculate parity conserving (PC) and parity violating (PV) geometric phases for th... more We discuss and calculate parity conserving (PC) and parity violating (PV) geometric phases for the metastable 2S states of hydrogen and deuterium. The atoms are supposed to be subjected to slowly varying electric and magnetic fields which act as external parameters for the atoms. Geometric flux density fields are introduced which allow for an easy overview how to choose the paths in parameter space in order to obtain only PC or only PV geometric phases. The PV phases are calculated in the Standard Model of particle physics. Even if numerically they come out small they have interest of principle as a new manifestation of parity violation in atomic physics.
Physical Review A, 2007
We investigate the conditions under which quantum fluctuations are relevant for the quantitative ... more We investigate the conditions under which quantum fluctuations are relevant for the quantitative interpretation of experiments with ultracold Bose gases. This requires to go beyond the description in terms of the Gross-Pitaevskii and Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov mean-field theories, which can be obtained as classical (statistical) field-theory approximations of the quantum many-body problem. We employ functional-integral techniques based on the two-particle irreducible (2PI) effective action. The role of quantum fluctuations is studied within the nonperturbative 2PI 1/N expansion to next-to-leading order. At this accuracy level memory-integrals enter the dynamic equations, which differ for quantum and classical statistical descriptions. This can be used to obtain a 'classicality' condition for the many-body dynamics. We exemplify this condition by studying the nonequilibrium evolution of a 1D Bose gas of sodium atoms, and discuss some distinctive properties of quantum versus classical statistical dynamics.
Physical Review A, 2004
A dynamical many body theory of single color photoassociation in a Bose-Einstein condensate is pr... more A dynamical many body theory of single color photoassociation in a Bose-Einstein condensate is presented. The theory describes the time evolution of a condensed atomic ensemble under the influence of an arbitrarily varying near resonant laser pulse, which strongly modifies the binary scattering properties. In particular, when considering situations with rapid variations and high light intensities the approach described in this article leads, in a consistent way, beyond standard mean field techniques. This allows to address the question of limits to the photoassociation rate due to many body effects which has caused extensive discussions in the recent past. Both, the possible loss rate of condensate atoms and the amount of stable ground state molecules achievable within a certain time are found to be stronger limited than according to mean field theory. By systematically treating the dynamics of the connected Green's function for pair correlations the resonantly driven population of the excited molecular state as well as scattering into the continuum of non-condensed atomic states are taken into account. A detailed analysis of the low energy stationary scattering properties of two atoms modified by the near resonant photoassociation laser, in particular of the dressed state spectrum of the relative motion prepares for the analysis of the many body dynamics. The consequences of the finite lifetime of the resonantly coupled bound state are discussed in the two body as well as in the many body context. Extending the two body description to scattering in a tight trap reveals the modifications to the near resonant adiabatic dressed levels caused by the decay of the excited molecular state.
New Journal of Physics, 2012
Single-particle momentum spectra for a dynamically evolving one-dimensional Bose gas are analysed... more Single-particle momentum spectra for a dynamically evolving one-dimensional Bose gas are analysed in the semi-classical wave limit. Representing one of the simplest correlation functions these give information about possible universal scaling behaviour. Motivated by the previously discovered connection between (quasi-)topological field configurations, strong wave turbulence, and nonthermal fixed points of quantum field dynamics, soliton formation is studied with respect to the appearance of transient power-law spectra. A random-soliton model is developed to describe the spectra analytically, and the analogies and difference between the appearing power laws and those found in a field theory approach to strong wave turbulence are discussed. The results open a view on solitary wave dynamics from the point of view of critical phenomena far from thermal equilibrium and on a possibility to study this dynamics in experiment without the necessity of detecting solitons in situ.
Journal of Modern Optics, 2004
The Gross-Pitaevskii equation has been extremely successful in the theory of weakly-interacting B... more The Gross-Pitaevskii equation has been extremely successful in the theory of weakly-interacting Bose-Einstein condensates. However, present-day experiments reach beyond the regime of its validity due to the significant role of correlations. We review a method of tackling the dynamics of correlations in Bose condensed gases, in terms of noncommutative cumulants. This new approach has a wide range of applicability in the areas of current interest, e.g. the production of molecules and the manipulation of interactions in condensates. It also offers an interesting perspective on the classical-field methods for partly condensed Bose gases.
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Papers by Thomas Gasenzer