A fundamental limit for integrated atom optics with Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper investigates the fundamental physical limits of manipulating Bose-Einstein condensates in integrated atom optics devices, revealing that high densities induce three-body interactions causing instability, thus constraining device miniaturization.

Contribution

It identifies a fundamental density-dependent limit caused by three-body interactions that affects coherent control in integrated atom optics with Bose-Einstein condensates.

Findings

High condensate density triggers modulational instability.

Three-body interactions impose a fundamental limit on device miniaturization.

Instability constrains coherent manipulation of BECs in integrated devices.

Abstract

The dynamical response of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate manipulated by an integrated atom optics device such as a microtrap or a microfabricated waveguide is studied. We show that when the miniaturization of the device enforces a sufficiently high condensate density, three-body interactions lead to a spatial modulational instability that results in a fundamental limit on the coherent manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates.