Dynamics of one-dimensional Bose liquids: Andreev-like reflection at Y-junctions and absence of the Aharonov-Bohm effect

TL;DR

This paper investigates the behavior of one-dimensional Bose liquids in Y-junctions, revealing Andreev-like reflection phenomena and demonstrating the absence of the Aharonov-Bohm effect in ring interferometer setups.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of Andreev-like reflection in bosonic systems and shows the insensitivity of transport to flux in ring geometries, contrasting with single-particle quantum effects.

Findings

Negative density reflection at Y-junctions analogous to Andreev reflection

Transport in ring interferometers is flux-insensitive

Absence of Aharonov-Bohm effect in the studied bosonic system

Abstract

We study one dimensional Bose liquids of interacting ultracold atoms in the Y-shaped potential when each branch is filled with atoms. We find that the excitation packet incident on a single Y-junction should experience a negative density reflection analogous to the Andreev reflection at normal-superconductor interfaces, although the present system does not contain fermions. In a ring interferometer type configuration, we find that the transport is completely insensitive to the (effective) flux contained in the ring, in contrast to the Aharonov-Bohm effect of a single particle in the same geometry.