Calibrating dipolar interaction in an atomic condensate

TL;DR

This paper refines the modeling of dipolar interactions in atomic condensates using a new pseudo-potential, revealing amplified effects that enhance the prospects for experimental detection of dipolar phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a more rigorous pseudo-potential for dipole-dipole interactions and demonstrates its significant impact on dipolar effects in condensates.

Findings

Dipolar effects are significantly larger with the new pseudo-potential.

Amplification of effects is especially notable at extreme trap aspect ratios.

Results suggest improved prospects for detecting dipolar effects experimentally.

Abstract

We revisit the topic of a dipolar condensate with the recently derived more rigorous pseudo-potential for dipole-dipole interaction [A. Derevianko, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 67}, 033607 (2003)]. Based on the highly successful variational technique, we find that all dipolar effects estimated before (using the bare dipole-dipole interaction) become significantly larger, i.e. are amplified by the new velocity-dependent pseudo-potential, especially in the limit of large or small trap aspect ratios. This result points to a promising prospect for detecting dipolar effects inside an atomic condensate.