| Kevin E. Strecker, Guthrie B. Partridge, Andrew G. Truscott & Randall G. Hulet
The paper reports the formation and propagation of bright solitons in a quasi-1D Bose-Einstein condensate of lithium atoms. By magnetically tuning the interactions from repulsive to attractive, a stable condensate is created, which then forms bright solitons. These solitons are observed to propagate in the optical potential for many oscillatory cycles without spreading, forming a "soliton train." The repulsive interactions between neighboring solitons are inferred from their motion. The study highlights the similarities between bright matter wave solitons and optical solitons, suggesting potential applications in precision measurement, such as atom interferometry. The formation and dynamics of solitons are influenced by the degree of radial confinement and the magnetic field, which can be tuned to achieve the quasi-1D regime. The experiment also explores the stability limits of solitons and the mechanisms behind their formation and interaction.The paper reports the formation and propagation of bright solitons in a quasi-1D Bose-Einstein condensate of lithium atoms. By magnetically tuning the interactions from repulsive to attractive, a stable condensate is created, which then forms bright solitons. These solitons are observed to propagate in the optical potential for many oscillatory cycles without spreading, forming a "soliton train." The repulsive interactions between neighboring solitons are inferred from their motion. The study highlights the similarities between bright matter wave solitons and optical solitons, suggesting potential applications in precision measurement, such as atom interferometry. The formation and dynamics of solitons are influenced by the degree of radial confinement and the magnetic field, which can be tuned to achieve the quasi-1D regime. The experiment also explores the stability limits of solitons and the mechanisms behind their formation and interaction.