Two-component gap solitons in two- and one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper models and analyzes two- and one-dimensional gap solitons in binary Bose-Einstein condensates with repulsive interactions, identifying stability regions and constructing solutions using variational and numerical methods.

Contribution

It introduces models for 1D and 2D binary BECs with inter-species repulsion, and constructs stable gap solitons using variational approximation and numerical analysis.

Findings

Existence of stable inter- and intra-gap solitons identified.

Variational approximation accurately describes tightly-bound two-component GSs.

Stability analysis shows some solitons evolve into breathers or are destroyed.

Abstract

We introduce 2D and 1D models of a binary Bose-Einstein condensate in a periodic potential, with repulsive interactions. We chiefly consider the most fundamental case of the inter-species repulsion with zero intra-species interactions. Existence and stability regions for gap solitons (GSs) supported by the interplay of the inter-species repulsion and periodic potential are identified. Two-component GSs are constructed by means of the variational approximation (VA) and in a numerical form. The VA provides accurate description for the GS which is a bound state of two tightly-bound components, each essentially trapped in one cell of the periodic potential. GSs of this type dominate in the case of intra-gap solitons, with both components belonging to the first finite bandgap of the linear spectrum. Inter-gap solitons, with one component residing in the second bandgap, and intra-gap solitons which have both components in the second gap, are possible in a deeper periodic potential, with the strength essentially exceeding the recoil energy of the atoms. Inter-gap solitons are, typically, bound states of one tightly- and one loosely-bound components. In this case, results are obtained in a numerical form. For 2D solitons, the stability is identified in direct simulations, while in the 1D case it is done via eigenfrequencies of small perturbations, and then verified by simulations. In the latter case, if the intra-gap soliton in the first bandgap is weakly unstable, it evolves into a stable breather, while unstable solitons of other types get completely destroyed. The intra-gap 2D solitons in the first bandgap are less robust, and in some cases they are completely destroyed by the instability. Addition of intra-species repulsion to the repulsion between the components leads to further stabilization of the GSs.