arXiv subjects

P. Engels

Publications and source records attributed to P. Engels.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Extreme (Rogue) Waves: From Theory to Experiments in Ultracold Gases and Beyond

In this Chapter, we review key theoretical and experimental advances in the study of extreme nonlinear wave events, called rogue waves (RWs), in both single-component attractively interacting and two-component repulsive mixtures of ultracold quantum gases. Starting from the exact rational solutions of the integrable focusing nonlinear Schroedinger model, the hierarchy of RW solutions is exemplified. These range from the Peregrine soliton (PS) and, related to it, the destabilization into a multi-peak cascade of PSs dubbed "Christmas-tree", to the Akhmediev breather, and Kuznetsov-Ma soliton as well as higher-order RWs. Emphasis is placed on their controllable dynamical emergence and characteristics in non-integrable quantum many-body systems described by Gross-Pitaevskii models and extensions thereof through different protocols such as modulational instability, gradient catastrophe, and dam-break flows. We further discuss how immiscible particle-imbalanced repulsive mixtures can be cast into effective attractive single-component environments capable of hosting RWs. Next, state-of-the-art experimental techniques are summarized within the ultracold realm that can be utilized to realize solitary waves, modulational instability, dispersive shock waves and RWs including the very recent first experimental observation of the PS, enabled through engineered effective focusing interactions and precise dynamical triggering. Observations of these extreme events in water waves, nonlinear optics and beyond are also outlined, highlighting their broader relevance and potential of emergence in disparate physical settings. Our exposition aims at showcasing ultracold atomic gases as versatile platforms for controllably generating and probing extreme nonlinear events, among others, in the quantum realm across integrable and non-integrable settings.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Observation of vector rogue waves in repulsive three-component atomic mixtures

We report the experimental observation of vector extensions of Peregrine solitons in highly particle-imbalanced, pairwise immiscible three-component repulsive Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). The possibility of an effectively attractive character of the minority components is established by constructing a generalized reduction scheme for an imbalanced N-component setup with arbitrary interaction signs. These components may suffer intra- and inter-component modulation instability, which along with the presence of an attractive potential well induces the dynamical formation of highly reproducible vector rogue waves. Exploiting different Rb hyperfine states, it is possible to flexibly tune the effective interactions stimulating the realization of a plethora of vector rogue waves, including single and double Peregrine-like wave peaks. The experimental findings are in quantitative agreement with suitable three-dimensional mean-field simulations, while quasi-one-dimensional analysis of the non-polynomial Schr\"odinger model provides additional insights into the rogue wave characteristics.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Breaking a superfluid harmonic dam: Observation and theory of Riemann invariants and accelerating sonic horizons

An experimental and theoretical study of sonic horizons emerging from the dam-break problem in a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an anisotropic harmonic trap is presented. Measurements, analysis, and numerics reveal the formation of a sonic horizon that undergoes acceleration due to harmonic confinement. The superfluid is characterized using a robust measurement technique to determine Riemann invariants. Experimental observations agree with an analytical solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation and computations. The collision and annihilation between two sonic horizons at long times is predicted.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2024

Nonlinear stage of modulational instability in repulsive two-component Bose-Einstein condensates

Modulational instability (MI) is a fundamental phenomenon in the study of nonlinear dynamics, spanning diverse areas such as shallow water waves, optics, and ultracold atomic gases. In particular, the nonlinear stage of MI has recently been a topic of intense exploration, and has been shown to manifest, in many cases, in the generation of dispersive shock waves (DSWs). In this work, we experimentally probe the MI dynamics in an immiscible two-component ultracold atomic gas with exclusively repulsive interactions, catalyzed by a hard-wall-like boundary produced by a repulsive optical barrier. We analytically describe the expansion rate of the DSWs in this system, generalized to arbitrary inter-component interaction strengths and species ratios. We observe excellent agreement among the analytical results, an effective 1D numerical model, full 3D numerical simulations, and experimental data. Additionally, we extend this scenario to the interaction between two counterpropagating DSWs, which leads to the production of Peregrine soliton structures. These results further demonstrate the versatility of atomic platforms towards the controlled realization of DSWs and rogue waves.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2023

Experimental realization of the Peregrine soliton in repulsive two-component Bose-Einstein condensates

We experimentally realize the Peregrine soliton in a highly particle-imbalanced two-component repulsive Bose-Einstein condensate in the immiscible regime. The effective focusing dynamics and resulting modulational instability of the minority component provide the opportunity to dynamically create a Peregrine soliton with the aid of an attractive potential well that seeds the initial dynamics. The Peregrine soliton formation is highly reproducible, and our experiments allow us to separately monitor the minority and majority components, and to compare with the single component dynamics in the absence or presence of the well with varying depths. We showcase the centrality of each of the ingredients leveraged herein. Numerical corroborations and a theoretical basis for our findings are provided through three-dimensional simulations emulating the experimental setting and via a one-dimensional analysis further exploring its evolution dynamics.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2022

Observation of dense collisional soliton complexes in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate

Solitons are nonlinear solitary waves which maintain their shape over time and through collisions, occurring in a variety of nonlinear media from plasmas to optics. We present an experimental and theoretical study of hydrodynamic phenomena in a two-component atomic Bose-Einstein condensate where a soliton array emerges from the imprinting of a periodic spin pattern by a microwave pulse-based winding technique. We observe the ensuing dynamics which include shape deformations, the emergence of dark-antidark solitons, apparent spatial frequency tripling, and decay and revival of contrast related to soliton collisions. For the densest arrays, we obtain soliton complexes where solitons undergo continued collisions for long evolution times providing an avenue towards the investigation of soliton gases in atomic condensates.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2022

Lattice dynamics in an emergent Zeeman lattice

Periodic band structures are a hallmark phenomenon of condensed matter physics. While often imposed by external potentials, periodicity can also arise through the interplay of couplings that are not necessarily spatially periodic on their own. Here, we investigate dynamics in a lattice structure that emerges from the simultaneous application of Raman and radio frequency coupling to a dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensate. We demonstrate a variety of techniques including Kapitza-Dirac scattering, Bloch oscillations, and lattice shaking with spin and momentum resolved measurements. This combined coupling scheme allows for exceptional tunability and control, enabling future investigations into unconventional band structures such as quasi-flat ground bands and those with semimetal-like band gaps.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2020

Non-exponential tunneling due to mean-field induced swallowtails

Typically, energy levels change without bifurcating in response to a change of a control parameter. Bifurcations can lead to loops or swallowtails in the energy spectrum. The simplest quantum Hamiltonian that supports swallowtails is a non-linear $2 \times 2$ Hamiltonian with non-zero off-diagonal elements and diagonal elements that depend on the population difference of the two states. This work implements such a Hamiltonian experimentally using ultracold atoms in a moving one-dimensional optical lattice. Self-trapping and non-exponential tunneling probabilities, a hallmark signature of band structures that support swallowtails, are observed. The good agreement between theory and experiment validates the optical lattice system as a powerful platform to study, e.g., Josephson junction physics and superfluidity in ring-shaped geometries.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2020

Rabi oscillations and Ramsey-type pulses in ultracold bosons: Role of interactions

Double-well systems loaded with one, two, or many quantum particles give rise to intriguing dynamics, ranging from Josephson oscillation to self-trapping. This work presents theoretical and experimental results for two distinct double-well systems, both created using dilute rubidium Bose-Einstein condensates with particular emphasis placed on the role of interaction in the systems. The first is realized by creating an effective two-level system through Raman coupling of hyperfine states. The second is an effective two-level system in momentum space generated through the coupling by an optical lattice. Even though the non-interacting systems can, for a wide parameter range, be described by the same model Hamiltonian, the dynamics for these two realizations differ in the presence of interactions. The difference is attributed to scattering diagrams that contribute in the lattice coupled system but vanish in the Raman coupled system. The internal dynamics of the Bose-Einstein condensates for both coupling scenarios is probed through a Ramsey-type interference pulse sequence, which constitutes a key building block of atom interferometers. These results have important implications in a variety of contexts including lattice calibration experiments and momentum space lattices used for quantum analog simulations.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2020

Observation and Analysis of Multiple Dark-Antidark Solitons in Two-Component Bose-Einstein Condensates

We report on the static and dynamical properties of multiple dark-antidark solitons (DADs) in two-component, repulsively interacting Bose-Einstein condensates. Motivated by experimental observations involving multiple DADs, we present a theoretical study which showcases that bound states consisting of dark (antidark) solitons in the first (second) component of the mixture exist for different values of interspecies interactions. It is found that ensembles of few DADs may exist as stable configurations, while for larger DAD arrays, the relevant windows of stability with respect to the interspecies interaction strength become progressively narrower. Moreover, the dynamical formation of states consisting of alternating DADs in the two components of the mixture is monitored. A complex dynamical evolution of these states is observed, leading either to sorted DADs or to beating dark-dark solitons depending on the strength of the interspecies coupling. This study demonstrates clear avenues for future investigations of DAD configurations.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2019

Experimental realization of a non-magnetic one-way spin switch

Controlling magnetism through non-magnetic means is highly desirable for future electronic devices, as such means typically have ultra-low power requirements and can provide coherent control. In recent years, great experimental progress has been made in the field of electrical manipulation of magnetism in numerous material systems. These studies generally do not consider the directionality of the applied non-magnetic potentials and/or magnetism switching. Here, we theoretically conceive and experimentally demonstrate a non-magnetic one-way spin switch device using a spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensate subjected to a moving spin-independent dipole potential. The physical foundation of this unidirectional device is based on the breakdown of Galilean invariance in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. Such a one-way spin switch opens an avenue for designing novel quantum devices with unique functionalities and may facilitate further experimental investigations of other one-way spintronic and atomtronic devices.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2018

Wall effects on spatial correlations of non-affine strain in a 3D model glass

Effects of hard planar walls with a particle scale roughness on the spatial correlations of non-affine strain in amorphous solids are investigated via molecular dynamics simulations. When determined within layers parallel to the wall plane, normalized non-affine strain correlations are enhanced within layers closer to the wall. The amplitude of these correlations, on the other hand, is found to be suppressed by the wall. While the former is connected to the effects of a hard boundary on the continuum mechanics scale, the latter is attributed to molecular scale wall effects on the size of the region (nearest neighbor cage), explored by particles on intermediate times scales.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2017

Three-component soliton states in spinor $F=1$ Bose-Einstein condensates

Dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensates are an exceptionally versatile testbed for the investigation of novel solitonic structures. While matter-wave solitons in one- and two-component systems have been the focus of intense research efforts, an extension to three components has never been attempted in experiments, to the best of our knowledge. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the existence of robust dark-bright-bright (DBB) and dark-dark-bright (DDB) solitons in a spinor $F=1$ condensate. We observe lifetimes on the order of hundreds of milliseconds for these structures. Our theoretical analysis, based on a multiscale expansion method, shows that small-amplitude solitons of these types obey universal long-short wave resonant interaction models, namely Yajima-Oikawa systems. Our experimental and analytical findings are corroborated by direct numerical simulations highlighting the persistence of, e.g., the DBB states, as well as their robust oscillations in the trap.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2016

Negative mass hydrodynamics in a Spin-Orbit--Coupled Bose-Einstein Condensate

A negative effective mass can be realized in quantum systems by engineering the dispersion relation. A powerful method is provided by spin-orbit coupling, which is currently at the center of intense research efforts. Here we measure an expanding spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensate whose dispersion features a region of negative effective mass. We observe a range of dynamical phenomena, including the breaking of parity and of Galilean covariance, dynamical instabilities, and self-trapping. The experimental findings are reproduced by a single-band Gross-Pitaevskii simulation, demonstrating that the emerging features - shockwaves, soliton trains, self-trapping, etc. - originate from a modified dispersion. Our work also sheds new light on related phenomena in optical lattices, where the underlying periodic structure often complicates their interpretation.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2016

Vector Dark-Antidark Solitary Waves in Multi-Component Bose-Einstein condensates

Multi-component Bose-Einstein condensates exhibit an intriguing variety of nonlinear structures. In recent theoretical work, the notion of magnetic solitons has been introduced. Here we generalize this concept to vector dark-antidark solitary waves in multi-component Bose-Einstein condensates. We first provide concrete experimental evidence for such states in an atomic BEC and subsequently illustrate the broader concept of these states, which are based on the interplay between miscibility and inter-component repulsion. Armed with this more general conceptual framework, we expand the notion of such states to higher dimensions presenting the possibility of both vortex-antidark states and ring-antidark-ring (dark soliton) states. We perform numerical continuation studies, investigate the existence of these states and examine their stability using the method of Bogolyubov-de Gennes analysis. Dark-antidark and vortex-antidark states are found to be stable for broad parametric regimes. In the case of ring dark solitons, where the single-component ring state is known to be unstable, the vector entity appears to bear a progressively more and more stabilizing role as the inter-component coupling is increased.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2015

Spin-momentum coupled Bose-Einstein condensates with lattice band pseudospins

The quantum emulation of spin-momentum coupling (SMC), a crucial ingredient for the emergence of topological phases, is currently drawing considerable interest. In previous quantum gas experiments, typically two atomic hyperfine states were chosen as pseudospins. Here, we report the observation of a new kind of SMC achieved by loading a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) into periodically driven optical lattices. The s- and p-bands of a static lattice, which act as pseudospins, are coupled through an additional moving lattice which induces a momentum dependent coupling between the two pseudospins, resulting in s-p hybrid Floquet-Bloch bands. We investigate the band structures by measuring the quasimomentum of the BEC for different velocities and strengths of the moving lattice and compare our measurements to theoretical predictions. The realization of SMC with lattice bands as pseudospins paves the way for engineering novel quantum matter using hybrid orbital bands.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2014

Spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates in a one-dimensional optical lattice

The realization of artificial gauge fields and spin-orbit coupling for ultra-cold quantum gases promises new insight into paradigm solid state systems. Here we experimentally probe the dispersion relation of a spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensate loaded into a translating optical lattice by observing its dynamical stability, and develop an effective band structure that provides a theoretical understanding of the locations of the band edges. This system presents exciting new opportunities for engineering condensed-matter analogs using the flexible toolbox of ultra-cold quantum gases.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2013

Phase Winding a Two-Component BEC in an Elongated Trap: Experimental Observation of Moving Magnetic Orders and Dark-bright Solitons

We experimentally investigate the phase winding dynamics of a harmonically trapped two-component BEC subject to microwave induced Rabi oscillations between two pseudospin components. While the single particle dynamics can be explained by mapping the system to a two-component Bose-Hubbard model, nonlinearities due to the interatomic repulsion lead to new effects observed in the experiments: In the presence of a linear magnetic field gradient, a qualitatively stable moving magnetic order that is similar to antiferromagnetic order is observed after critical winding is achieved. We also demonstrate how the phase winding can be used as a new tool to generate copious dark-bright solitons in a two-component BEC, opening the door for new experimental studies of these nonlinear features.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗