Macroscopic Superposition of Ultracold Atoms with Orbital Degrees of Freedom

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex behavior of ultracold atoms with orbital degrees of freedom in a double-well potential, revealing new quantum regimes and states through analytical and numerical methods.

Contribution

It introduces higher-dimensional analysis of Bose-Einstein condensates with orbital angular momentum, characterizing new quantum regimes and superposition states.

Findings

Identification of mixed Josephson- and Fock-like regimes

Discovery of crossings in excited and ground states

Evidence of macroscopic superposition states

Abstract

We introduce higher dimensions into the problem of Bose-Einstein condensates in a double-well potential, taking into account orbital angular momentum. We completely characterize the eigenstates of this system, delineating new regimes via both analytical high-order perturbation theory and numerical exact diagonalization. Among these regimes are mixed Josephson- and Fock-like behavior, crossings in both excited and ground states, and shadows of macroscopic superposition states.