Long-range interactions in a quantum gas mediated by diffracted light

A Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) interacting with an optical field via a feedback mirror can be a realization of the quantum Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, a paradigmatic model of long-range interactions in quantum systems. We demonstrate that the self-structuring instability displayed by an initially uniform BEC can evolve as predicted by the quantum HMF model, displaying quasiperiodic chevron dynamics for strong driving. For weakly driven self-structuring, the BEC and optical field behave as a two-state quantum system, regularly oscillating between a spatially uniform state and a spatially periodic state. It also predicts the width of stable optomechanical droplets and the dependence of droplet width on optical pump intensity. The results presented suggest that optical diffraction-mediated interactions between atoms in a BEC may be a route to experimental realization of quantum HMF dynamics anda useful analog for studying quantum systems involving long-range interactions.

Automated summary

A Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) interacting with an optical field via a feedback mirror can realize the quantum Hamiltonian Mean Field (HMF) model, which is a typical model for long-range interactions in quantum systems. It has been shown that the self-structuring instability of a initially uniform BEC can evolve in accordance with the predictions of the quantum HMF model, exhibiting quasiperiodic chevron dynamics under strong driving. Under weak driving, the BEC and optical field behave as a two-state quantum system, oscillating regularly between a spatially uniform state and a spatially periodic state. This study also predicts the width of stable optomechanical droplets and their dependence on optical pump intensity.