Work

Observation of Quantum Shock Waves Created with Ultra- Compressed Slow Light Pulses in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Year: 2001

Type: article

Abstract: We have used an extension of our slow light technique to provide a method for inducing small density defects in a Bose-Einstein condensate. These sub- resolution, micrometer-sized defects evolve into large-amplitude sound waves. We present an experimental observation and theoretical investigation of the resulting breakdown of superfluidity, and we observe directly the decay of the narrow density defects into solitons, the onset of the "snake" instability, and the subsequent nucleation of vortices.

Source: Science

DOI: 10.1126/science.1062527

Authors: Zachary Dutton, Michael Budde, Christopher Slowe, Lene Vestergaard Hau

Institution: Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense, Advanced Research Projects Agency, Rowland Institute at Harvard, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative, Army Research Office

OpenAlex ID: W2105109696

FWCI: 11.1

Cites: 37

Cited by: 521

Related to: 9