Enhanced Quantum Reflection of Matter-Wave Solitons

TL;DR

This paper predicts and explains the nonlinear quantum reflection of matter-wave solitons from attractive potentials, highlighting a velocity-dependent transition to transmission, with potential applications in soliton velocity filtering.

Contribution

It introduces a novel nonlinear quantum reflection effect for matter-wave solitons and provides a theoretical framework with numerical and variational analyses.

Findings

Reflection occurs at low velocities due to nonlinear interactions.

A critical velocity marks the switch to near-perfect transmission.

The effect can be utilized for velocity filtering of solitons.

Abstract

Matter-wave bright solitons are predicted to reflect from a purely attractive potential well although they are macroscopic objects with classical particle-like properties. The non-classical reflection occurs at small velocities and a pronounced switching to almost perfect transmission above a critical velocity is found, caused by nonlinear mean-field interactions. Full numerical results from the nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation are complimented by a two-mode variational calculation to explain the predicted effect, which can be used for velocity filtering of solitons. The experimental realization with laser-induced potentials or two-component Bose-Einstein condensates is suggested.