Accuracy of the Gross-Pitaevskii Equation in a Double-Well Potential

Abstract The Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) in a double well potential produces solutions that break the symmetry of the underlying non-interacting Hamiltonian, i.e., asymmetric solutions. The GPE is derived from the more general second-quantized Fock Schrödinger equation (FSE). We investigate whether such solutions appear in the more general case or are artifacts of the GPE. We use two-mode analyses for a variational treatment of the GPE and to treat the Fock equation. An exact diagonalization of the FSE in dual-condensates yields degenerate ground states that are very accurately fitted by phase-state representations of the degenerate asymmetric states found in the GPE. The superposition of degenerate asymmetrical states forms a cat state. An alternative form of cat state results from a change of the two-mode basis set.