Thermal radiation and dissipative phase transition in a BEC with local loss

TL;DR

This paper investigates how local atom losses in a Bose-Einstein condensate induce a dissipative phase transition, creating a sonic horizon and thermal phonon emission, with implications for analog black hole phenomena.

Contribution

It reveals a critical loss rate causing a phase transition to a sonic horizon state and explores associated fluctuations and correlations, including Hawking-like radiation.

Findings

Identification of a critical loss rate for phase transition.

Observation of thermal phonon emission related to loss rate.

Detection of correlation patterns resembling Hawking radiation.

Abstract

We study the dynamics of an atomic BEC subject to local dissipation in the form of atom losses. We show there is a critical loss rate at which the system undergoes a continuous dissipative phase transition from a homogenous state into a state which contains a sonic horizon. The latter drastically alters the behavior of the system by screening the drain. Dissipation leads to two types of fluctuations. First, fluctuations are generated by particles emitted in the reservoir. Both above and below the critical loss, these result in thermal emission of phonons with a temperature set by the loss rate and the chemical potential. The second type of fluctuation results from scattering on the drain and gives rise to a particular correlation pattern that can be observed in the density-density correlation. Aside from correlations between in an out scattered modes, outgoing particles are correlated with localized modes through a process that is reminiscent of Hawking radiation. Finally, we briefly discuss the dynamics of the system when there are two drains, in which case it is possible to construct a black hole laser.