Bose-Einstein condensation of trapped atoms with dipole interactions

Abstract

The path integral Monte Carlo method is used to simulate dilute trapped Bose gases and to investigate the equilibrium properties at finite temperatures. The quantum particles have a long-range dipole-dipole interaction and a short-range s-wave interaction. Using an anisotropic pseudopotential for the long-range dipolar interaction and a hard-sphere potential for the short-range s-wave interaction, we calculate the energetics and structural properties as a function of temperature and the number of particles. Also, in order to determine the effects of dipole-dipole forces and the influence of the trapping field on the dipolar condensate, we use two cylindrically symmetric harmonic confinements (a cigar-shaped trap and a disk-shaped trap). We find that the net effect of dipole-dipole interactions is governed by the trapping geometry. For a cigar-shaped trap, the net contribution of dipolar interactions is attractive and the shrinking of the density profiles is observed. For a disk-shaped trap, the net effect of long-range dipolar forces is repulsive and the density profiles expand.