title: Dynamics of nonlinear excitations of helically confined charges.
abstract: We explore the long-time dynamics of a system of identical charged particles trapped on a closed helix. This system has recently been found to exhibit an unconventional deformation of the linear spectrum when tuning the helix radius. Here we show that the same geometrical parameter can affect significantly also the dynamical behavior of an initially broad excitation for long times. In particular, for small values of the radius, the excitation disperses into the whole crystal whereas within a specific narrow regime of larger radii the excitation self-focuses, assuming finally a localized form. Beyond this regime, the excitation defocuses and the dispersion gradually increases again. We analyze this geometrically controlled nonlinear behavior using an effective discrete nonlinear Schrödinger model, which allows us among others to identify a number of breatherlike excitations.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Optische Quantentechnologien, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Zampetaki
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Optische Quantentechnologien, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stockhofe
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Optische Quantentechnologien, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.|The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmelcher