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arXiv · 1312.2436

Non equilibrium phase transition with gravitational-like interaction in a cloud of cold atoms

Julien Barré·Bruno Marcos·David Wilkowski
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Abstract

We propose to use a cloud of laser cooled atoms in a quasi two dimensional trap to investigate a non equilibrium collapse phase transition in presence of gravitational-like interaction. Using theoretical arguments and numerical simulations, we show that, like in two dimensional gravity, a transition to a collapsed state occurs below a critical temperature. In addition and as a signature of the non equilibrium nature of the system, persistent particles currents, dramatically increasing close to the phase transition, are observed.

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Julien Barré, Bruno Marcos, David Wilkowski. 2014-04-16. Non equilibrium phase transition with gravitational-like interaction in a cloud of cold atoms. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.112.133001

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