Collapses and revivals in the interference between two Bose-Einstein condensates formed in small atomic samples

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum interference phenomena such as collapses and revivals in small Bose-Einstein condensates, analyzing their dynamics through symmetry considerations and detection models, with implications for experimental observations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical analysis of collapses and revivals in BEC interference, including models based on gauge symmetry and atomic detection, for small atomic samples.

Findings

Macroscopic wave function collapses and revives over time.

Predicts collapses and revivals in Fock state condensate interference.

Calculates characteristic times relevant for experiments.

Abstract

We investigate the quantum interference between two Bose-Einstein condensates formed in small atomic samples composed of a few thousand atoms both by imposing Bose broken gauge symmetry from the outset and also using an explicit model of atomic detection. In the former case we show that the macroscopic wave function collapses and revives in time, and we calculate the characteristic times for current experiments. Collapses and revivals are also predicted in the interference between two Bose-Einstein condensates which are initially in Fock states, a relative phase between the condensates being established via atomic detections corresponding to uncertainty in the number difference between them.