B. B. Baizakov

Multidimensional solitons in periodic potentials

The existence of stable solitons in two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) media governed by the self-focusing cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation with a periodic potential is demonstrated by means of the variational approximation (VA) and in direct simulations. The potential stabilizes the solitons against collapse. Direct physical realizations are a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped in an optical lattice, and a light beam in a bulk Kerr medium of a photonic-crystal type. In the 2D case, the creation of the soliton in a weak lattice potential is possible if the norm of the field (number of atoms in BEC, or optical power in the Kerr medium) exceeds a threshold value (which is smaller than the critical norm leading to collapse). Both single-cell and multi-cell solitons are found, which occupy, respectively, one or several cells of the periodic potential, depending on the solitons norm. Solitons of the former type and their stability are well predicted by VA. Stable 2D vortex solitons are found too.

Nonlinear excitations in arrays of Bose-Einstein condensates

The dynamics of localized excitations in array of Bose-Einstein condensates is investigated in the framework of the nonlinear lattice theory. The existence of temporarily stable ground states displaying an atomic population distributions localized on very few lattice sites (intrinsic localized modes), as well as, of atomic population distributions involving many lattice sites (envelope solitons), is studied both numerically and analytically. The origin and properties of these modes are shown to be inherently connected with the interplay between macroscopic quantum tunnelling and nonlinearity induced self-trapping of atoms in coupled BECs. The phenomenon of Bloch oscillations of these excitations is studied both for zero and non zero backgrounds. We find that in a definite range of parameters, homogeneous distributions can become modulationally unstable. We also show that bright solitons and excitations of shock wave type can exist in BEC arrays even in the case of positive scattering length. Finally, we argue that BEC array with negative scattering length in presence of linear potentials can display collapse.

Multidimensional solitons in a low-dimensional periodic potential

Using the variational approximation and direct simulations in real and imaginary time, we find stable two-dimensional (2D) and 3D solitons in the self-attractive Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) with a potential which is uniform in one direction (z) and periodic in the others (however, the quasi-1D potentials cannot stabilize 3D solitons). The family of solitons includes single- and multiple-peaked ones. The results apply to Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in optical lattices (OLs) and to spatial or spatiotemporal solitons in layered optical media. This is the first prediction of mobile 2D and 3D solitons in BECs, as they keep mobility along z. Head-on collisions of in-phase solitons lead to their fusion into a collapsing pulse. Slow collisions between two multiple-peaked solitons whose main peaks are separated by an intermediate channel end up with their fusion into one single-peaked soliton in the middle channel, {approx_equal}1/3 of the original number of atoms being shed off. Stable localized states in the self-repulsive GPE with the low-dimensional OL combined with a parabolic trap are found too. Two such pulses in one channel perform recurrent elastic collisions, periodically featuring sharp interference patterns in the strong-overlap state.

Regular spatial structures in arrays of Bose–Einstein condensates induced by modulational instability

We show that the phenomenon of modulational instability in arrays of Bose–Einstein condensates confined to optical lattices gives rise to coherent spatial structures of localized excitations. These excitations represent thin discs in 1D, narrow tubes in 2D, and small hollows in 3D arrays, filled in with condensed atoms of much greater density compared to surrounding array sites. Aspects of the developed pattern depend on the initial distribution function of the condensate over the optical lattice, corresponding to particular points of the Brillouin zone. The long-time behaviour of the spatial structures emerging due to modulational instability is characterized by the periodic recurrence to the initial low-density state in a finite optical lattice. We propose a simple way to retain the localized spatial structures with high atomic concentration, which may be of interest for applications. A theoretical model, based on the multiple-scale expansion, describes the basic features of the phenomenon. Results of numerical simulations confirm the analytical predictions.

Disintegration of a soliton in a dispersion-managed optical communication line with random parameters.

The propagation of dispersion-managed solitons in optical fiber links with a random dispersion map has been studied. Two types of randomness are considered:random dispersion magnitudes and random lengths of the spans. By numerical simulations, disintegration of a soliton propagating in such an optical communication line is shown to occur. It is observed that the stability of the soliton propagation is affected more by modulations of the dispersion magnitudes of the spans than by modulations of the span lengths. Results of numerical simulations of the soliton breakup distance confirm theoretical predictions in the averaged dynamics limit.

Matter-wave solitons in radially periodic potentials.

We investigate two-dimensional (2D) states in Bose-Einstein condensates with self-attraction or self-repulsion, trapped in an axially symmetric optical-lattice potential periodic along the radius. The states trapped both in the central potential well and in remote circular troughs are studied. In the repulsive mode, a new soliton species is found, in the form of radial gap solitons. The latter solitons are completely stable if they carry zero vorticity (l=0) , while with l not equal 0 they develop a weak azimuthal modulation, which makes them rotating patterns, that persist indefinitely long. In addition, annular gap solitons may support stable azimuthal dark-soliton pairs on their crests. In remote troughs of the attractive model, stable localized states may assume a ringlike shape with weak azimuthal modulation, or shrink into solitons strongly localized in the azimuthal direction, which is explained in the framework of an averaged 1D equation with the cyclic azimuthal coordinate. Numerical simulations of the attractive model also reveal stable necklacelike patterns, built of several strongly localized peaks. Dynamics of strongly localized solitons circulating in the troughs is studied too. While the solitons with sufficiently small velocities are completely stable, fast solitons gradually decay, due to the leakage of matter into the adjacent trough, under the action of the centrifugal force. Investigation of head-on collisions between strongly localized solitons traveling in circular troughs shows that collisions between in-phase solitons in a common trough lead to collapse, while pi-out-of-phase solitons bounce many times, but eventually merge into a single one, without collapsing. In-phase solitons colliding in adjacent circular troughs also tend to merge into a single soliton.

Solitons in the Tonks-Girardeau gas with dipolar interactions

The existence of bright solitons in the model of the Tonks–Girardeau (TG) gas with dipole–dipole (DD) interactions is reported. The governing equation is taken as the quintic nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLSE) with the nonlocal cubic term accounting for the DD attraction. In different regions of the parameter space (the dipole moment and atom number), matter-wave solitons feature flat-top or compacton-like shapes. For the flat-top states, the NLSE with the local cubic-quintic (CQ) nonlinearity is shown to be a good approximation. Specific dynamical effects are studied assuming that the strength of the DD interactions is ramped up or drops to zero. Generation of dark-soliton pairs in the gas shrinking under the action of the intensifying DD attraction is observed. Dark solitons exhibit particle-like collision behaviour. Peculiarities of dipole solitons in the TG gas are highlighted by comparison with the NLSE including the local CQ terms. Collisions between the bright solitons are also studied. In many cases, the collisions result in the merger of the solitons into a breather, due to a strong attraction between them.

Stable two-dimensional dispersion-managed soliton

The existence of a dispersion-managed soliton in two-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation with periodically varying dispersion has been explored. The averaged equations for the soliton width and chirp are obtained which successfully describe the long time evolution of the soliton. The slow dynamics of the soliton around the fixed points for the width and chirp are investigated and the corresponding frequencies are calculated. Analytical predictions are confirmed by direct partial differential equation (PDE) and ordinary differential equation (ODE) simulations. Application to a Bose-Einstein condensate in optical lattice is discussed. The existence of a dispersion-managed matter-wave soliton in such system is shown.

Collapse of a Bose-Einstein condensate induced by fluctuations of the laser intensity

The dynamics of a metastable attractive Bose-Einstein condensate trapped by a system of laser beams is analyzed in the presence of small fluctuations of the laser intensity. It is shown that the condensate will eventually collapse. The expected collapse time is inversely proportional to the integrated covariance of the time autocorrelation function of the laser intensity and it decays logarithmically with the number of atoms. Numerical simulations of the stochastic three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation confirm analytical predictions for small and moderate values of mean-field interaction.

Adiabatic N-soliton interactions of Bose-Einstein condensates in external potentials

A perturbed version of the complex Toda chain (CTC) has been employed to describe adiabatic interactions within an N-soliton train of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Perturbations induced by weak quadratic and periodic external potentials are studied by both analytical and numerical means. It is found that the perturbed CTC adequately models the N-soliton train dynamics for both types of potentials. As an application of the developed theory, we consider the dynamics of a train of matter-wave solitons confined to a parabolic trap and optical lattice, as well as tilted periodic potentials. In the last case, we demonstrate that there exist critical values of the strength of the linear potential for which one or more localized states can be extracted from a soliton train. An analytical expression for these critical strengths for expulsion is also derived.