Nonlinear transport of bosonic matter waves and light

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Klaus Richter
• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics
• Term: from 2007 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 24367642

We plan to investigate nonlinear bosonic transport processes with electromagnetic and matter waves in complex scattering geometries. A central aim is to study the effect of nonlinearities on interference phenomena, in particular weak (anti-)localization for Bose-Einstein condensates in chaotic mesoscopic cavities, and to provide a semiclassical understanding of this effect. Moreover, we intend to investigate, both on the mean-field and on the many-body level, Aharonov-Bohm-type oscillations of interacting Bose-Einstein condensates propagating through two-arm interferometers. In the electromagnetic context, we plan to study echo and time-reversal focusing phenomena in cavities, nonlinear coherent backscattering of photons in random networks of optical fibers, as well as dynamical tunneling of laser light through microcavities. Finally, our long-term aim is to develop a nonperturbative many-body approach to scattering of ultracold bosonic atoms through quantum dots and disorder geometries.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 760: Scattering Systems with Complex Dynamics
• International Connection: Belgium
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Peter Schlagheck