The role of quantum fluctuations in the optomechanical properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a ring cavity

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum fluctuations influence the optomechanical behavior of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a ring cavity, revealing significant differences from Fabry-Pérot systems and highlighting the importance of quantum corrections near bifurcations.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed model of BEC in a ring cavity with quantum effects, contrasting it with Fabry-Pérot geometries and identifying regimes where quantum corrections are crucial.

Findings

Quantum fluctuations significantly affect system dynamics near bifurcation points.

Distinct behaviors are observed in ring cavities compared to Fabry-Pérot setups.

An experimentally accessible regime where quantum effects dominate is identified.

Abstract

We analyze a detailed model of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a ring optical resonator and contrast its classical and quantum properties to those of a Fabry-P{\'e}rot geometry. The inclusion of two counter-propagating light fields and three matter field modes leads to important differences between the two situations. Specifically, we identify an experimentally realizable region where the system's behavior differs strongly from that of a BEC in a Fabry-P\'{e}rot cavity, and also where quantum corrections become significant. The classical dynamics are rich, and near bifurcation points in the mean-field classical system, the quantum fluctuations have a major impact on the system's dynamics.