Nicolai Nygaard

Two-channel R-matrix analysis of magnetic-field-induced Feshbach resonances

A Feshbach resonance arises in cold atom scattering due to the complex interplay between several coupled channels. However, the essential physics of the resonance may be encapsulated in a simplified model consisting of just two coupled channels. In this paper we describe in detail how such an effective Feshbach model can be constructed from knowledge of a few key parameters, characterizing the atomic Born-Oppenheimer potentials and the low energy scattering near the resonance. These parameters may be obtained either from experiment or full coupled-channel calculations. Using R-matrix theory we analyze the bound state spectrum and the scattering properties of the two-channel model, and find it to be in good agreement with exact calculations.

Wake effects between two neighbouring wind farms

We address the issue of wake effects between two neighbouring offshore wind farms by analysing simultaneous production data from Rodsand II and Nysted. The upstream wind farm is found to not just perturb the flow in its wake, but also to cause speed-ups at the positions of some downstream turbines. We use the data to perform a validation of a simple wake model for flow cases corresponding to wind directions of maximum internal and external wake effects.

Two-channel Feshbach physics in a structured continuum

We analyze the scattering and bound state physics of a pair of atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice interacting via a narrow Feshbach resonance. The lattice provides a structured continuum allowing for the existence of bound dimer states both below and above the continuum bands, with pairs above the continuum stabilized by either repulsive interactions or their center-of-mass motion. Inside the band the Feshbach coupling to a closed channel bound state leads to a Fano resonance profile for the transmission, which may be mapped out by rf or photodissociative spectroscopy. We generalize the scattering length concept to the one-dimensional lattice, where a scattering length may be defined at both the lower and the upper continuum thresholds. As a function of the applied magnetic field the scattering length at either band edge exhibits the usual Feshbach divergence when a bound state enters or exits the continuum. Near the scattering length divergences the binding energy and wave function of the weakly bound dimer state acquires a universal form reminiscent of those of free-space Feshbach molecules. We give numerical examples of our analytic results for a specific Feshbach resonance, which has been studied experimentally.

Phase diagrams for an ideal gas mixture of fermionic atoms and bosonic molecules

We calculate the phase diagrams for a harmonically trapped ideal gas mixture of fermionic atoms and bosonic molecules in chemical and thermal equilibrium, where the internal energy of the molecules can be adjusted relative to that of the atoms by use of a tunable Feshbach resonance. We plot the molecule fraction and the fraction of Bose-condensed molecules as functions of the temperature and internal molecular energy. We show the paths traversed in the phase diagrams when the molecular energy is varied either suddenly or adiabatically. Our model calculation helps to interpret the adiabatic phase diagrams obtained in recent experiments on the Bose–Einstein condensation to Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer crossover, in which the condensate fraction is plotted as a function of the initial temperature of the Fermi gas measured before a sweep of the magnetic field through the resonance region.

Angular momentum exchange between coherent light and matter fields

Full, three-dimensional time-dependent simulations are presented demonstrating the quantized transfer of angular momentum to a Bose-Einstein condensate from a laser carrying orbital angular momentum in a Laguerre-Gaussian mode. The process is described in terms of coherent Bragg scattering of atoms from a chiral optical lattice. The transfer efficiency and the angular momentum content of the output coupled vortex state are analyzed and compared with a recent experiment.

Theory of Feshbach molecule formation in a dilute gas during a magnetic field ramp

Starting with coupled atom?molecule Boltzmann equations, we develop a simplified model to understand molecule formation observed in recent experiments. Our theory predicts several key features: (i) the effective adiabatic rate constant is proportional to density; (ii) in an adiabatic ramp, the dependence of molecular fraction on magnetic field resembles an error function whose width and centroid are related to the temperature; and (iii) the molecular production efficiency is a universal function of the initial phase space density, the specific form of which we derive for a classical gas. Our predictions show qualitative agreement with the data from Hodby et al (2005 Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 120402) without the use of adjustable parameters.

Atom?molecule equilibration in a degenerate Fermi gas with resonant interactions

We present a nonequilibrium kinetic theory describing atom–molecule population dynamics in a two-component Fermi gas with a Feshbach resonance. Key collision integrals emerge that govern the relaxation of the atom–molecule mixture to chemical and thermal equilibrium. Our focus is on the pseudogap regime where molecules form above the superfluid transition temperature. In this regime, we formulate a simple model for the atom–molecule population dynamics. The model predicts the saturation of molecule formation that has been observed in recent experiments, and indicates that a dramatic enhancement of the atom–molecule conversion efficiency occurs at low temperatures.

Scattering and binding of different atomic species in a one-dimensional optical lattice

The theory of scattering of atom pairs in a periodic potential is presented for the case of different atoms. When the scattering dynamics is restricted to the lowest Bloch band of the periodic potential, a separation in relative and average discrete coordinates applies and makes the problem analytically tractable. We present a number of results and features, which differ from the case of identical atoms.

Vortex line in a neutral finite-temperature superfluid Fermi gas

The structure of an isolated vortex in a dilute two-component neutral superfluid Fermi gas is studied within the context of self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory. Various thermodynamic properties are calculated, andthe shift in the critical temperature due to the presence of the vortex is analyzed. The gapless excitations inside the vortex core are studied, and a scheme to detect these states and thus the presence of the vortex is examined. The numerical results are compared with various analytical expressions when appropriate.

Adiabatic cooling of a tunable Bose-Fermi mixture in an optical lattice

We consider an atomic Fermi gas confined in a uniform optical lattice potential, where the atoms can pair into molecules via a magnetic field controlled narrow Feshbach resonance. Thus by adjusting the magnetic field the portion of fermionic and bosonic particles in the system can be continuously varied. We analyze the statistical mechanics of this system and consider the interplay of the lattice physics with the atom-molecule conversion. We study the entropic behavior of the system and characterize the temperature changes that occur during adiabatic ramps across the Feshbach resonance. We show that an appropriate choice of filling fraction can be used to reduce the system temperature during such ramps.