Scattering of atoms on a Bose-Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This paper investigates how atoms scatter off a Bose-Einstein condensate in a finite well, revealing phenomena like negative transmission times where wavepackets appear to exit before entering.

Contribution

It provides detailed calculations of phase shifts, transmission, and reflection coefficients for atoms interacting with a Bose-Einstein condensate, highlighting novel effects such as negative transmission times.

Findings

Transmission times can be negative, indicating superluminal-like behavior.

Calculated phase shifts and reflection/transmission coefficients for atom-condensate scattering.

Demonstrated unique quantum scattering phenomena in Bose-Einstein condensates.

Abstract

We study the scattering properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate held in a finite depth well when the incoming particles are identical to the ones in the condensate. We calculate phase shifts and corresponding transmission and reflection coefficients, and we show that the transmission times can be negative, i.e., the atomic wavepacket seemingly leaves the condensate before it arrives.