Abstract
Approximate solutions of the Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation, obtained upon neglection of the kinetic
energy, are well known as Thomas–Fermi solutions. They are characterized by the compensation of
the local potential by the collisional energy. In this article we consider exact solutions of the GP-equation
with this property and definite values of the kinetic energy, which suggests the term ‘‘kinetic Thomas–
Fermi” (KTF) solutions. Despite their formal simplicity, KTF-solutions can possess complex current density
fields with unconventional topology. We point out that a large class of light-shift potentials gives rise
to KTF-solutions. As elementary examples, we consider one-dimensional and two-dimensional optical
lattice scenarios, obtained by means of the superposition of two, three and four laser beams, and discuss
the stability properties of the corresponding KTF-solutions. A general method is proposed to excite twodimensional
KTF-solutions in experiments by means of time-modulated light-shift potentials.
| Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1472-1477 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Optics Communications |
| Volume | 282 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |