Dynamic fragmentation in a quenched two-mode Bose–Einstein condensate

Abstract

We investigate the fragmentation in a two-mode Bose–Einstein condensate with Josephson coupling. We explore how the fragmentation and entropy of the ground state depend on the intermode asymmetry and interparticle interactions. Owing to the interplay between the asymmetry and the interactions, a sequence of notches and plateaus in the fragmentation appears with the single-atom tunneling and interaction blockade, respectively. We then analyze the dynamical properties of the fragmentation in three typical quenches of the asymmetry: linear, sudden, and periodic quenches. In a linear quench, the final state is a fragmented state due to the sequential Landau–Zener tunneling, which can be analytically explained by applying the two-level Landau–Zener formula for each avoided level crossing. In a sudden quench, the fragmentation exhibits persistent fluctuations that sensitively depend on the interparticle interactions and intermode coupling. In a periodic quench, the fragmentation is modulated by the periodic driving, and a suitable modulation may allow one to control the fragmentation.