Wave packet dynamics of the matter wave field of a Bose-Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how wave packet revivals and fractional revivals can reveal the coherence properties and statistical nature of matter wave fields in Bose-Einstein condensates or similar systems.

Contribution

It introduces a tractable model linking wave packet dynamics to coherence and statistical deviations in Bose-Einstein condensates and related fields.

Findings

Revival signatures indicate coherence levels.

Fractional revivals reveal statistical deviations.

Model applies to matter waves and radiation fields.

Abstract

We show in the framework of a tractable model that revivals and fractional revivals of wave packets afford clear signatures of the extent of departure from coherence and from Poisson statistics of the matter wave field in a Bose-Einstein condensate, or of a suitably chosen initial state of the radiation field propagating in a Kerr-like medium.