Creation of discrete solitons and observation of the Peierls-Nabarro barrier in Bose-Einstein Condensates

TL;DR

This paper investigates the creation, mobility, and observation of discrete solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates within optical lattices, highlighting experimental conditions and the Peierls-Nabarro barrier's role in their dynamics.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive analysis of discrete soliton generation and mobility in BECs, including experimental considerations and the observation of the Peierls-Nabarro barrier in multiple dimensions.

Findings

Successful creation of 1D discrete solitons in BECs.

Identification of conditions for observing the Peierls-Nabarro barrier.

Generation of self-trapped structures in 2D and 3D.

Abstract

We analyze the generation and mobility of discrete solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates confined in an optical lattice under realistic experimental conditions. We discuss first the creation of 1D discrete solitons, for both attractive and repulsive interatomic interactions. We then address the issue of their mobility, focusing our attention on the conditions for the experimental observability of the Peierls-Nabarro barrier. Finally we report on the generation of self-trapped structures in two and three dimensions. Discrete solitons may open alternative routes for the manipulation and transport of Bose-Einstein condensates.