Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations for a large number of bosons in a harmonic trap

TL;DR

This paper presents precise finite-temperature Quantum Monte Carlo calculations for thousands of bosons in a harmonic trap, aligning well with experimental Bose-Einstein condensation data and exploring the effects of interactions on critical temperature.

Contribution

It introduces a large-scale Quantum Monte Carlo method for bosons in anisotropic traps, providing detailed density profiles and critical temperature analysis.

Findings

Critical temperature decreases with interaction strength.

Density profiles match Gross-Pitaevskii solutions.

Method applicable to large, anisotropic traps.

Abstract

In this paper, I present a precise Quantum Monte Carlo calculation at finite temperature for a very large number (many thousands) of bosons in a harmonic trap, which may be anisotropic. The calculation applies directly to the recent experiments of Bose-Einstein condensation of atomic vapors in magnetic traps. I show that the critical temperature of the system decreases with the interaction. I also present profiles for the overall density and the one of condensed particles, and obtain excellent agreement with solutions of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.