A Bose-Einstein condensate in a random potential

Rb Lab

We have performed pioneering investigations of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a random potential, produced by shining an optical speckle pattern onto the atoms. We have investigated both static and dynamic properties of the BEC in the presence of disorder. With small levels of disorder, stripes are observed in the expanded density profile and strong damping of dipole and quadrupole oscillations is seen. By studying the propagation of the BEC in a disordered waveguide, we have evidenced a strong suppression of mass transport as the speckle potential is increased. The experimental results are in good agreement with numerical calculations based on the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.

J. E. Lye et al.
Bose-Einstein Condensate in a Random Potential
Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 070401 (2005)

C. Fort et al.
Effect of Optical Disorder and Single Defects on the Expansion of a Bose-Einstein Condensate in a One-Dimensional Waveguide
Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 170410 (2005)