text:
# The anomalous tunneling of Bose-condensate excitations

(15 October 2002)

## Abstract

We discuss the tunneling of phonon excitations across a potential barrier separating two condensate bulks. It is shown that the strong barrier proves to be transparent for the excitations at low energy $`\epsilon .`$ Moreover, the transmission is reduced with increasing $`\epsilon `$ in contrast to the standard dependence. This anomalous behavior is due to an existence of the quasiresonance interaction. The origin of this interaction is a result of the formation of the special well determined by the density distribution of condensate in the vicinity of a high barrier.

The investigation of the tunneling phenomena in the Bose-condensed systems becomes one of the most evolving trends in the BEC studies of ultracold atomic gases, (see e.g.,  and references therein). One of the interesting aspects in this field is associated with the problem of the tunneling of collective excitations possessing specific features in the condensed phase. The condensate moving at velocity $`v`$ smaller than some critical velocity $`v_c`$ transmits across a potential barrier without scattering and reflection. Excitations of a condensate at rest, in particular, sound excitations should experience the tunneling transmission together with the reflection. It is significant that the motion of excitations takes place at the background of the inhomogeneous built-up distribution of condensate density $`g\left(x\right)`$. The inevitable reduction of $`g\left(x\right)`$ near the barrier results in the appearance of a potential well. For the sufficiently high barrier $`V\mu `$ where $`\mu `$ is the chemical potential, the tunneling of excitations under these conditions, as we will see below, demonstrates an anomalous character. On the one hand, the barrier proves to be transparent for phonon excitations within a limited range of low energies. On the other hand, the coefficient of tunneling transmission $`T`$ reduces as the energy of excitations $`\epsilon `$ grows. This is in contrast to the typical growth of $`T`$ with $`\epsilon .`$ Such anomalous behavior to a great extent is associated with the appearance of a quasi-bound state in the continuous spectrum. The formation of the quasi-bound state is connected with the specific behavior of function $`g\left(x\right)`$ in the vicinity of the barrier. Provided the size $`L`$ of the condensate is much larger than the correlation length $`\xi `$ and the barrier is high, the dependence $`g\left(x\right)`$ in essential degree has an universal character. As a result, anomalous picture of tunneling acquires a relatively universal character as well. In order to make the exposition ultimate clear, we consider one-dimensional symmetrical configuration, namely, two identical condensates separated by a rectangular barrier with height $`V_0\mu `$. The general equation for the Heisenberg field operator of particles $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}(x,t)`$ has the form

$$i\mathrm{}\frac{\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}}{t}=\left(\frac{\mathrm{}^2}{2m}\frac{^2}{x^2}\mu \right)\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}+V\left(x\right)\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}+U\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}^+\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}.$$
(1)
Hereafter it is implicitly assumed that the transverse size of the system is sufficiently large. Accordingly a collision of atoms has a three-dimensional character and, as usual, $`U=4\pi \mathrm{}^2a/m`$ where $`a`$ is the scattering length. We consider only the case $`a>0.`$

We start from the consideration of the ground state, assuming temperature $`T=0`$. In this case the operator $`\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}`$ can be replaced with the macroscopic condensate wave function $`\mathrm{\Psi }\left(x\right).`$ The equation for $`\mathrm{\Psi }\left(x\right)`$ in the dimensionless form can be written as

$$i\frac{\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}}{\overline{t}}=\left(\frac{1}{2}\frac{^2\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}}{\overline{x}^2}1\right)\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}+\overline{V}\left(\overline{x}\right)\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}+\left|\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}\right|^2\overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}.$$
(2)
Here we introduced the following notations

$$\begin{array}{cccc}\overline{x}=x/\xi ,\hfill & \overline{t}=\mu t/\mathrm{},\hfill & \overline{\mathrm{\Psi }}=\mathrm{\Psi }\left(U/\mu \right)^{\frac{1}{2}},\hfill & \overline{V}=V/\mu .\hfill \end{array}$$
(3)
Further we omit bar for all variables in Eq.(2).

Let us find a stationary solution $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(x\right)`$ of Eq.(2), assuming that $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(x\right)=1`$ for $`\left|x\right|1.`$ Outside barrier Eq.(2) has the known static solution

$$\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(x\right)=\mathrm{tanh}\left(\left|x\right|+x_0\right).$$
(4)
Under the barrier we can find the first integral of Eq.(2), taking into account the condition $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0^{}\left(0\right)=0`$

$$\mathrm{\Psi }_0^{}\left(x\right)=\sqrt{\left(\mathrm{\Psi }_0^2b^2\right)\left(\mathrm{\Psi }_0^2+\varkappa _0^2\right)}.$$
(5)
Here $`b^2=\mathrm{\Psi }^2\left(0\right),\varkappa _0^2=2\left(V_01\right)+b^2.`$ The general solution takes the form

$$\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(x\right)=\frac{b}{\mathrm{cn}\left(\sqrt{b^2+\varkappa _0^2}x\right)},$$
(6)
where $`\mathrm{cn}u`$ is the Jacobi elliptic function (see, e.g. ryzhik ).

In the case of strong barrier when $`\varkappa _01`$ and $`\varkappa _0d>1`$ ($`d=2a`$ is the barrier width), one can neglect the nonlinearity related to the interparticle interaction. Equating solutions (4),(6) and their derivatives at the boundary of the barrier $`\left|x\right|=a,`$ we derive

$$\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(x\right)\left(\varkappa _0\mathrm{sinh}\varkappa _0a\right)^1\mathrm{cosh}\varkappa x,\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(a\right)\varkappa _0^11.$$
(7)
Let us now consider the tunneling of excitations propagating at the background of the distribution of the condensate density. These excitations can be found as oscillations of the classical field of a condensate (see, e.g.dalfovo ). For this purpose, let us represent function $`\mathrm{\Psi }`$ in Eq.(2) as $`\mathrm{\Psi }=\mathrm{\Psi }_0+\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ and linearize the equation in $`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$

$$i\frac{\mathrm{\Psi }^{}}{t}=\widehat{h}\mathrm{\Psi }^{}+g\left(x\right)\mathrm{\Psi }^{},$$
(8)
$$\begin{array}{cc}\widehat{h}=\frac{1}{2}\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+V\left(x\right)+2g\left(x\right)1,\hfill & g\left(x\right)=\mathrm{\Psi }_0^2\left(x\right).\hfill \end{array}$$
(9)
For excitations with energy $`\epsilon ,`$ we will seek the solution of a set of equations (8) for $`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ in the form dalfovo

$$\mathrm{\Psi }^{}=u\left(x\right)e^{i\epsilon t}v^{}\left(x\right)e^{i\epsilon t}.$$
(10)
Then we have

$$\left(\widehat{h}\epsilon \right)ugv=0,gu+\left(\widehat{h}+\epsilon \right)v=0.$$

Introducing notations

$$\begin{array}{cc}S=u+v,\hfill & G=uv\hfill \end{array}$$
(11)
and combining these equations, we arrive at fourth-order equation

$$\left(\widehat{h}+g\right)\left(\widehat{h}g\right)S=\epsilon ^2S.$$
(12)
If the solution of $`S\left(x\right)`$ is known, one can readily find function $`G\left(x\right)`$

$$\epsilon G=\left(\widehat{h}g\right)S.$$
(13)
Far from the barrier at $`\left|x\right|1,`$ we have $`g\left(x\right)1.`$ The solutions of Eq.(12) in this uniform region are sought as $`S\mathrm{exp}\left(ikx\right).`$ As a result, we find four roots

$$\begin{array}{cc}k_{1,2}=\pm k,\hfill & k=\sqrt{2}\left(\sqrt{1+\epsilon ^2}1\right)^{1/2},\hfill \\ k_{3,4}=iq,\hfill & q=\sqrt{2}\left(\sqrt{1+\epsilon ^2}+1\right)^{1/2}.\hfill \end{array}$$
(14)
The first two roots corresponds to the Bogoliubov spectrum (in the dimensional variables $`kk\xi `$ and $`\epsilon \epsilon /\mu `$ respectively). The solutions corresponding to roots $`k_{3,4}`$ do not contribute into the asymptote of the general solution at $`\left|x\right|1`$ but prove to be significant in the regions close to the barrier. For $`\epsilon 1,`$ we have

$$k=\epsilon ,\text{ }q=2,$$
(15)
neglecting the terms of the order of $`\epsilon ^2.`$

Outside barrier the general solution can be represented as a linear superposition of basic solutions $`S_i\left(x\right)`$ of equation (12) corresponding to the roots given in (14). Let excitations fall from the left hand site. Then, omitting the divergent components, we have

$$\begin{array}{cc}S\left(x\right)=AS_1\left(x\right)+BS_2\left(x\right)+CS_3\left(x\right),\hfill & x<a\hfill \\ S\left(x\right)=DS_4\left(x\right)+FS_5\left(x\right),\hfill & x>a.\hfill \end{array}$$
(16)
Here the functions $`S_n\left(x\right)`$ for fixed $`\epsilon `$ have an universal form

$$\begin{array}{c}S_n\left(x\right)=e^{ik_nx}\left(\mathrm{tanh}\left(x+x_0\right)+\frac{ik_n}{2}\right),n=1,2,3\hfill \\ S_{4,5}\left(x\right)=S_{2,3}\left(x\right).\hfill \end{array}$$
(17)
Function $`G\left(x\right)`$ can be found from (13) with conserving the same set of the coefficients to be determined as in (16).

Consider now the underbarrier region. Since $`g\left(x\right)`$ $`\varkappa _0^21,`$ we first find the solution of Eq.(12) omitting $`g\left(x\right)`$. In this case Eq.(12) can be rewritten as

$$\left(\frac{1}{2}\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+V1\right)^2S=\epsilon ^2S.$$
(18)
Inserting the solution as $`S\mathrm{exp}\left(\varkappa x\right)`$ into the equation, we again find four roots

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\varkappa _{1,2}=\pm \varkappa _+,& \varkappa _{3,4}=\pm \varkappa _{},& \varkappa _\pm =\varkappa _0\sqrt{1\pm 2\epsilon /\varkappa _0^2}.\end{array}$$
(19)
Accordingly, the general solution for the underbarrier region reads

$$S_B=Ke^{\varkappa _+x}+Le^{\varkappa _+x}+Me^{\varkappa _{}x}+Ne^{\varkappa _{}x}.$$

Substituting this expression into (13) and involving (19), we arrive at

$$G_B=\left(Ke^{\varkappa _+x}+Le^{\varkappa _+x}\right)+Me^{\varkappa _{}x}+Ne^{\varkappa _{}x}.$$

Now we can employ that $`\epsilon /\varkappa _0^21`$ and, supposing $`\epsilon a/\varkappa _01,`$ one can replace $`\varkappa _\pm `$ with $`\varkappa _0.`$ As a result, we have

$$\begin{array}{c}S_B=\left(M+K\right)e^{\varkappa _0x}+\left(N+L\right)e^{\varkappa _0x},\hfill \\ G_B=\left(MK\right)e^{\varkappa _0x}+\left(NL\right)e^{\varkappa _0x}.\hfill \end{array}$$
(20)
The boundary conditions at $`x=\pm a`$ yield eighth equations for the determination of all coefficients in (16) and (20)

$$\begin{array}{cc}S\left(\pm a\right)=S_B\left(\pm a\right)\left(\alpha \right),& G\left(\pm a\right)=G_B\left(\pm a\right)\left(\beta \right),\\ \frac{dS}{dx}|_{\pm a}=\frac{dS_B}{dx}|_{\pm a}\left(\gamma \right),& \frac{dG}{dx}|_{\pm a}=\frac{dG_B}{dx}|_{\pm a}\left(\delta \right).\end{array}$$
(21)
In order to find the solution in the explicit form, we restrict ourselves by considering the tunneling and reflection of collective excitations in the sound region corresponding to the roots (15). In addition, we simplify a set of equations omitting quadratic terms like $`k^2,`$ $`k\zeta ^1,`$ $`\zeta ^2`$ ($`\zeta =\varkappa _0^11`$) and involving the smallness of coefficients $`C`$ and$`F`$ of the order of ($`k,\zeta `$) with respect to the other coefficients in Eq.(16). This simplification yields the equalities $`MK`$ and $`NL`$ resulting from Eq.(21$`\delta `$). Together with the boundary conditions for $`G`$ (21$`\beta `$) this gives

$$\begin{array}{cc}\overline{F}=\overline{D}\frac{ik}{2},\hfill & \overline{C}=\overline{A}\frac{ik}{2}\overline{B}\frac{ik}{2}.\hfill \end{array}$$
(22)
Here

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\overline{F}=Fe^{2a},\hfill & \overline{C}=Ce^{2a},\hfill & \overline{B}=Be^{ika},\hfill \\ \overline{D}=De^{ika},\hfill & \overline{A}=Ae^{ika}.\hfill & \end{array}$$

The remaining set of four equations can be solved straightforwardly

$$\begin{array}{cc}\overline{B}=\frac{\overline{A}}{Z}(k^2+\left(k^2+4\zeta ^2\right)e^{4\varkappa _0a}),& \overline{D}=\frac{\overline{A}}{Z}4ik\zeta e^{2\varkappa _0a},\\ K=\frac{\overline{A}}{Z}\zeta k\left(k+2i\zeta \right)e^{3\varkappa _0a},& L=\frac{\overline{A}}{Z}\zeta k^2e^{\varkappa _0a},\\ Z=k^2\left(k+2i\zeta \right)^2e^{4\varkappa _0a}.& \end{array}$$
(23)
As a result, returning to dimensional variables, we find for the tunneling transmission of the excitations

$$T=\left|\frac{D}{A}\right|^2\frac{16\left(k/\varkappa _0\right)^2e^{4\varkappa _0a}}{\left[\left(k\xi \right)^2+\left(4\left(\varkappa _0\xi \right)^2\left(k\xi \right)^2\right)e^{4\varkappa _0a}\right]^2}.$$
(24)
Even for a wide barrier the transmission coefficient demonstrates practically the full transparency at

$$k=k_{}\frac{1}{\xi }\frac{2}{\varkappa _0\xi }e^{2\varkappa _0a}.$$

For $`kk_{}`$ and still $`k\xi 1,`$ the transmission coefficient falls with increasing $`k`$

$$T\frac{16e^{4\varkappa _0a}}{\left(\varkappa _0\xi \right)^2\left(k\xi \right)^2}.$$
(25)
This result is in a drastic contrast with the typical enhancement of $`T`$ with the growth of $`k.`$

Let us consider a more accurate solution for the underbarrier region, involving the condensate density $`g\left(x\right)`$ in Eqs.(12),(13). The explicit form for $`g\left(x\right)`$ can be obtained from the results (6)-(7) for $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0\left(x\right).`$ The numerical calculation should be performed in order to find the solution of Eqs.(12),(13) for the underbarrier region. The general solution implies again the use of the boundary conditions (21). The results of calculations for the dependence $`T`$ on $`k`$ are presented in Fig.1. In these figures the function $`T\left(k\right),`$ obtained with ignoring $`g\left(x\right)`$ in the underbarrier region, is shown by the dashed lines. The exact solution shows again the existence of the full transparency. The only difference is a shift of the maximum of $`T`$ to $`k=0`$. With increasing $`k`$, in particular, in the region where the asymptotic expression (25) is correct, the both curves coincide. We intentionally choose quite different sets of the parameters in Fig.1(a,b) in order to demonstrate rather universal character of the $`T\left(k\right)`$ behavior. In fact, we see only the change of the scale of $`k`$-region where the transparency is high.

The anomalous behavior of the tunneling transmission of excitations has an interesting origin. In the vicinity of the barrier the condensate density decreases as $`\mathrm{tanh}^2\left[\left(\left|x\right|+x_0\right)/\xi \right]`$, producing potential wells for the excitations on the both sides of a barrier. In the case of a strong barrier the ratio $`\left(\left|x\right|+x_0\right)/\xi 1`$. In these conditions a virtual resonance level in the continuous spectrum close to $`\epsilon =0`$ appears. This results in the drastic change of the tunneling picture. As $`k`$ increases, the quasi-resonance scattering decreases entailing the unusual reduction of $`T\left(k\right)`$. At $`k\xi 1`$ the role of virtual level reduces and the normal growth of $`T`$ with $`k`$ should be restored. We can see it from the inserts in Fig.1(a,b) where the dependence $`T\left(k\right)`$ is plotted just for this interval of $`k.`$ Note that in all cases the anomalous tunneling can be revealed considering the reflection coefficient

$$R=\left|\frac{B}{A}\right|^2=1T.$$
(26)
Treating the tunneling of phonon excitations, it is interesting to trace the formation of energy flux $`Q`$. In the general case this flux can be found employing the local form of the energy conservation law. Provided the Hamiltonian is represented as

$$H=E\left(r\right)d^3r,$$

$$E\left(r\right)=\frac{\mathrm{}^2}{2m}\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}^+\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}+\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}^+\left(V\mu \right)\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}+\frac{U}{2}\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}^+\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}^+\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}.$$
(27)
then

$$\frac{E}{t}=\mathrm{div}Q$$
(28)
Using Eqs.(27) and (1), we find

$$Q=\frac{\mathrm{}^2}{m}\mathrm{Re}\left(\frac{\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}^+}{t}\frac{\widehat{\mathrm{\Psi }}}{x}\right).$$
(29)
Assuming as before that the condensate is at rest, we consider the energy transfer by excitations. Treating them as oscillations of the classic field of a condensate, we have from (29) for the flux averaged over the time

$$Q=n_0\frac{\mu ^{3/2}}{m^{1/2}}\overline{Q},\overline{Q}=\mathrm{Re}\frac{\mathrm{\Psi }^{}}{t}\frac{\mathrm{\Psi }^{}}{x}.$$
(30)
Here $`n_0`$ is the total particle density, $`\overline{Q}`$ is the expression for the energy flux defined in terms of dimensionless units (3). Let us consider again the incident flux of excitations with energy $`\epsilon .`$ Inserting the function $`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ from (10) and using notations (11), we obtain

$$\overline{Q}=\frac{\epsilon }{2}\mathrm{Im}\left(S^{}\frac{dS}{dx}+G^{}\frac{dG}{dx}\right).$$
(31)
Outside the barrier we use the general solution for $`S`$ in the form (16) and (17). Taking into account that function $`S_3`$ is real and $`S_2(k,x)=S_1^{}(k,x)=S_1(k,x),`$ we find for the region $`x<a`$

$$\mathrm{Im}\left(S^{}\frac{dS}{dx}\right)=\left|A\right|^2\left(1R\right)\frac{k}{2}\left(1+\mathrm{tanh}^2\left(xx_0\right)\right),$$

where $`R`$ is the reflection coefficient (26). According to (13) the contribution into (31) from the function $`G`$ equals

$$\mathrm{Im}\left(G^{}\frac{dG}{dx}\right)=\left|A\right|^2\left(1R\right)\frac{k}{2}\left(1\mathrm{tanh}^2\left(xx_0\right)\right).$$

A sum of both expressions is independent of $`x,`$ demonstrating the conservation of the energy flux of excitations.

Let us find the relation between $`\left|A\right|^2`$ and the physical parameters. Comparing the density of noncondensate particles $`n^{}=\frac{1}{2}n_0\left|A\right|^2`$ in the incident phonon flux with the known Bogoliubov result (see e.g. lifshitz ) for the relation between $`n^{}`$ and phonon density $`n(k)`$ concentrated in the $`k`$-mode $`n^{}=(\mu /\mathrm{}c_0k)`$, we find

$$\left|A\right|^22(\mu /\mathrm{}c_0k)(n\left(k\right)/n_0).$$
(32)
Here $`c_0=\sqrt{\mu /m}`$ is the speed of sound defined for the density at $`\left|x\right|a.`$

Returning to the dimensional units, we find for the energy flux (29)

$$Q=n\left(k\right)c_0\epsilon \left(1R\right).$$
(33)
In order to obtain the flux under the potential barrier in the explicit form, we neglect again the distribution of the condensate density in this region. Taking into account the solution (20) and the conditions $`MK`$ and $`NL`$, we find from (31) $`\overline{Q}=4\epsilon \varkappa \mathrm{Im}\left(KL^{}\right)`$. The coefficients $`K`$ and $`L`$ are determined in (23) with $`\left|A\right|^2`$ according to (32). As a result, the energy flux (30) acquires the value

$$Q=n\left(k\right)c_0\epsilon T,$$
(34)
where $`T`$ is the transmission coefficient (24). At $`xa`$ the flux has the same value (34). Expressions (33) and (34) demonstrate the constancy of the energy flux in the system (see Eq.(26)). Note that this is not the case for a particle flux. One can show that this flux inevitably connected with the transfer of phonon excitations, is not conserved and depends on $`x.`$

###### Acknowledgements.

This work is supported by INTAS (project 2001-2344), by Netherlands Organization for Science Research (NWO), and by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research.