title: Creation of solitons and vortices by bragg reflection of Bose-Einstein condensates in an optical lattice.
abstract: We study the dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates in an optical lattice and harmonic trap. The condensates are set in motion by displacing the trap and initially follow simple semiclassical paths, shaped by the lowest energy band. Above a critical displacement, the condensate undergoes Bragg reflection. For high atom densities, the first Bragg reflection generates a train of solitons and vortices, which destabilize the condensate and trigger explosive expansion. At lower densities, soliton and vortex formation requires multiple Bragg reflections, and damps the center-of-mass motion.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fromhold
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bujkiewicz
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Sheard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leadbeater