Modern Physics Letters B

Vol. 30, No. 19 (2016) 1650238 (11 pages)

c World Scientific Publishing Company

DOI: 10.1142/S0217984916502389

Chaos control of a Bose Einstein condensate

in a moving optical lattice

Zhiying Zhang, Xiuqin Feng and Zhihai Yao

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School of Science, Changchun University of Science and Technology,

by COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY on 08/06/16. For personal use only.

Changchun, Jilin 130022, China

fengxq@cust.edu.cn

Received 28 February 2016

Accepted 30 March 2016
Published 11 July 2016

Chaos control of a BoseEinstein condensate (BEC) loaded into a moving optical lattice
with attractive interaction is investigated on the basis of Lyapunov stability theory.
Three methods are designed to control chaos in BEC. As a controller, a bias constant,
periodic force, or wavelet function feedback is added to the BEC system. Numerical
simulations reveal that chaotic behavior can be well controlled to achieve periodicity
by regulating control parameters. Different periodic orbits are available for different
control parameters only if the maximal Lyapunov exponent of the system is negative.
The abundant effect of chaotic control is also demonstrated numerically. Chaos control
can be realized effectively by using our proposed control strategies.

Keywords: BoseEinstein condensate; chaos control; Lyapunov exponent.

1. Introduction
Chaos is widespread in nonlinear systems. Several intensive studies on chaos have
been conducted over the several years. Drawing on novel insights into chaos phe-
nomena, researchers have studied various aspects of chaos control. Chaos control
refers to the purposeful manipulation of the chaotic dynamical behaviors of complex
nonlinear systems. In general, chaos control is classified into two sorts: suppressing
and eliminating chaos when the extreme sensitivity to initial states of a system op-
erating in chaotic mode can be destructive to the system because of unpredictable
behaviors and generating and strengthening chaos when chaos is useful; the former
is called chaos control and the latter is called anti-control of chaos. Since the pio-
neering work of Ott et al. in 1990,1 chaos control has been a widely investigated field
and is an interesting subject of research in various application fields and many new
important results have been reported.24 For example, Xu and Wu studied chaos

Corresponding author.

1650238-1
 Z. Zhang, X. Feng & Z. Yao

control in a chemical chaotic system via time-delayed feedback control method.5

Chen and Lai proposed a feedback control design method for chaos anti-control
in a discrete-time dynamical system.6 Yue et al. designed a mean of proportional
periodic pulse perturbation to the system variables to control hyperchaos.7 Bowong
and Moukam Kakmeni researched on chaos control and the duration time of a class
of uncertain chaotic system.8 Sun et al. researched on the feedback and adaptive
control of an energy resource chaotic system.9
The BoseEinstein condensate (BEC) was realized experimentally in 1995.10
This system has become a topic of considerable interest in the field of physics and
many new and important results have been reported. Later, the experimental real-
ization of optical lattices1113 established a new perspective in the study of trapped
Mod. Phys. Lett. B 2016.30. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com

BEC. Experimental observations and theoretical explanations of the nonlinear dy-

by COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY on 08/06/16. For personal use only.

namics for a BEC in an optical lattice have been reported.1417 As a typical non-
linear system, BEC systems in an optical lattice show many good properties. The
presence of BEC chaos has been proven and these chaotic properties have been ex-
tensively investigated in many previous works.1823 Several researchers have focused
on exploring the useful and practical applications of chaos in BEC. For example,
quantum computation and information processing with BEC atoms is an interesting
advancement in BEC application.2427 Chaos is associated with quantum entangle-
ment28 and quantum error correction, both of which are fundamental subjects in
quantum computations. However, the chaos phenomenon in nonlinear systems is
known to play mainly the role of destruction. In view of the broad application
prospects of BEC and chaotic influence on the stability of BEC, studies of chaotic
control are very valuable in manipulating and utilizing BECs more effectively. This
study is also an important step in utilizing chaos theory for the benefit of mankind.
In this paper, we present three schemes to suppress chaotic behaviors in a BEC
system loaded into a moving optical lattice potential with attractive interaction. As
a controller, a bias constant, periodic force, or wavelet function feedback is added to
the BEC system. Numerical simulation results reveal that we can observe effective
changes in the trajectories of the phase space by adjusting the corresponding control
parameters. The validity of three means is demonstrated and the range of control
parameters for a period or chaotic states is proposed in detail.

2. Chaotic Solution of a BEC in a Moving Optical Lattice

Mean-field theory has been successfully used to describe the BEC system. The
dynamical equation of a BEC system in a moving optical lattice acan be expressed
quantitatively by the nonlinear Schrodinger equation with a nonlinear term that
represents interactions, also called the GrossPitaevskii (GP) equation29 :

~2 d 2
 2
~2 22
  
~ 2 d
+ i + ~v L i~v L ~ + i~ g0 ||2
2m d 2 m d 2m
= V1 cos2 (k) , (1)

1650238-2
 Chaos control of a BEC in a moving optical lattice

where m is the atomic mass, represents the macroscopic quantum wave function
and vL = /2k is the velocity of the optical lattice. = x + vL t is the space-time
variable of the system, g0 = 4~2 a/m is the nonlinearity in the GP equation, which
represents the strength of the atomic interaction and a is the S-wave scattering
length. The case a > 0 indicates repulsive interatomic interactions and a < 0 implies
attractive interatomic interactions. This nonlinearity makes introducing chaos into
the quantum system possible. 2 and are two undetermined constants and the
term proportional to denotes the damping coefficient. We use the following set of
parameters and dimensionless variables to simplify Eq. (1).
Set
 
d 1 v
= R()ei() , = = + 1 ,
Mod. Phys. Lett. B 2016.30. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com

d v 2
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(2)
2mvL ~ 2 V1 ~2 k 2
= k, v = , 1 = , 1 = , I0 = , Er = .
~k Er k Er 2m
Then, Eq. (1) can be rewritten as follows:
d2 R 1 2 dR
2
v R gR3 = I0 cos2 ()R v . (3)
d 4 d
dR
Let R = y1 and d= y2 , i.e.

dy1

d = y2 ,


(4)
dy 1
2 = v 2 y1 + gy13 + I0 cos2 ()y1 vy2 ,


d 4
where I0 is the intensity of the optical lattice potential. The square of the ampli-
tude R is the particle number density because |R| = || and is the phase of .
Equation (4) provides us with a nonlinear quantum system.

1.5
2.0
1.5 1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.0 0.0
y2

y1

-0.5
-1.0 -0.5
-1.5 -1.0
-2.0
-1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 -1.5
100 150 200 250 300
y1
(a) (b)

Fig. 1. (a) Chaotic attractor on plane y1 y2 ; and (b) time series of y1 with v = 2.05, g = 0.75,
I0 = 5.5 and = 0.05.

1650238-3
 Z. Zhang, X. Feng & Z. Yao

We consider the case of attractive atomatom interactions, namely g < 0. The

chaotic solution of Eq. (4) is obtained with different initial conditions and param-
eters. The fourth-order RungeKutta method is employed in all of our numerical
simulations with a step size of 0.005. The initial conditions are selected randomly
in the attractive domain of the chaotic system as y1 (0) = 1.0, y2 (0) = 0.0 and
= 0.0. When the parameters of the system are v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5 and
= 0.05, this system exhibits chaotic behavior. Figures 1(a) and 1(b) show the
chaotic attractor projections on y1 y2 plane and the time series of y1 , respectively.
The phase space orbit is irregular, chaos exists in the BEC system.

3. Scheme for Chaos Control

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To stabilize the chaos states in a BEC loaded into a moving optical lattice potential
with attractive interaction, a direct perturbation was introduced to the BEC sys-
tem. We design a controller u() to be fed into the ordinary differential equation of
the BEC system. Numerical simulations are given for illustration and verification.

3.1. Chaos control via constant bias

In this subsection, constant bias method is applied to control the chaos of BEC
system (4). The controller is u() = q; this controller is a bias constant fed into the
first ordinary differential equation of the system. Thus, controlled BEC system (4)
may be described as follows:
dy1

d = y2 + q ,


(5)
dy 1
2 = v 2 y1 + gy13 + I0 cos2 ()y1 vy2 ,


d 4
where q represents bias strength. Subsequently, Eq. (5) is investigated in detail.
According to the Lyapunov stability theory, quantifying chaos is an important
problem. Lyapunov exponents can provide qualitative and quantitative tests for
dynamic behavior; thus, these exponents are the most useful dynamical diagnostic
tool for examining chaotic motions. Hence, we consider the effect of the constant
bias strength q by increasing it from zero, the chaotic behavior determined is subse-
quently altered. We also select the parameters as v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5 and
= 0.05 with the same initial conditions y1 (0) = 1.0 and y2 (0) = 0.0. The results
are given by the maximum Lyapunov exponents (Fig. 2). The bias strength q is
within the range of 050, i.e. 0 q 50. System (5), separately with q (4.2, 5.5),
(22.1, 22.5), (30.7, 31.6), (35.3, 35.8), (39.5, 42.1), (43.3, 50.0) and q = 9.8, 18.0,
28.8, presents regular motion with a negative maximum Lyapunov exponent and is
basically in a chaotic state in other regions.
We select the value of the bias constant q only if the maximal Lyapunov exponent
of the system is negative. We can obtain a number of period states according to the
numerical calculations. The parameters of the BEC system are v = 2.05, g = 0.75,

1650238-4
 Chaos control of a BEC in a moving optical lattice

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
max

0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
-0.1
-0.2
0 10 20 30 40 50
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q
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Fig. 2. Maximum Lyapunov exponent max as a function of q with v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5
and = 0.05.

I0 = 5.5 and = 0.05 with the same initial conditions y1 (0) = 1.0, y2 (0) = 0.0
and = 0.0. Figures 3(a)3(e) show the phase orbits according to bias strengths
q = 5.0, 18.0, 28.8, 30.8 and 46.4. Controlling chaos in the BEC system is realized
when we select the corresponding value of q with the negative maximum Lyapunov
exponent (Fig. 3). The system is controlled into period-1 motion at q = 5.0, 18.0
and 30.8. The system is controlled into period-2 motion at q = 28.8 and period-4
motion at q = 46.4.

3.2. Chaos control via periodic force

In this subsection, the periodic force method is applied to control the chaos of BEC
system (4). The controller, which is considered as an external periodic force that
is fed into the right-hand side of the second ordinary differential equation (4), is
u() = N sin( + ). Thus, controlled system of BEC system (4) is described as
follows:
dy1

d = y2 ,


(6)
dy2 1 2 3 2

= v y1 + gy1 + I0 cos ()y1 vy2 + N sin( + ) ,
d 4
where N is the strength of the periodic force and is the frequency of the periodic
force. The system can be investigated by a numerical solution with the remaining
parameters fixed. One case to examine is the change in the dynamics of the system
as a function of N for fixed = 1.0, = 0 and for fixed N = 8.0, = 0. The
maximum Lyapunov exponents are presented numerically in Figs. 4(a) and 4(b)
with the above given set of initial conditions. The strength of the force N is within
the range of 080, i.e. 0 N 80. System (5), separately with N (12.7, 14.9),
(15.7, 15.8), (18.0, 21.7), (35.4, 36.0), (39.3, 39.5), (69.5, 79.8) and N = 16.6,
17.2, 23.9, 44.5, 45.6, 68.0, presents a periodic solution from a negative maximum

1650238-5
 Z. Zhang, X. Feng & Z. Yao

-14
2
-15
0
-2 -16
-4 -17
y2

-6 -18

y2
-8 -19
-10 -20
-12 -21
-14 -22
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
y1 y1
(a) (b)
-24
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-25
-24
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-26
-27 -28
-28
y2

y2

-29 -32
-30
-31 -36
-32
-33 -40
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
y1 y1
(c) (d)
-38
-40
-42
-44
-46
y2

-48
-50
-52
-54
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
y1
(e)

Fig. 3. Attractors on y1 y2 plane at different values of q: (a) q = 5.0, (b) q = 18.0, (c) q = 28.8,
(d) q = 30.8 and (e) q = 46.4.

Lyapunov exponent [Fig. 4(a)]. Similarly, we examine the change of dynamics in the
system as a function of for fixed N = 8.0. At certain intervals ( (2.54, 2.61)
and (3.64, 3.68)), the maximum Lyapunov exponents are negative, which indicates
that the system is in regular motion [Fig. 4(b)].
Figures 5(a)5(h) show the attractor in the y1 y2 plane with = 1.0 for N =
14.0, 15.7, 23.9, 35.4, 39.4, 45.6, 68.0 and 79.0. The BEC system is converted into
different periodic motions when we select a certain control parameter within the
range of max < 0 (Fig. 5). Stability is established in this system.

1650238-6
 Chaos control of a BEC in a moving optical lattice

0.7
0.6 0.8
0.5 0.6
0.4
0.3 0.4

max
max

0.2
0.2
0.1
0.0 0.0
-0.1
-0.2
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
N
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(a) (b)
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Fig. 4. (a) Maximum Lyapunov exponent max as a function of N for = 1.0; and (b) maximum
Lyapunov exponent max as a function of for N = 8.0 with v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5 and
= 0.05.

3.3. Chaos control via wavelet function feedback

In this subsection, based on the characteristics of wavelet function, the wavelet
2
function feedback controller is designed as u() = ke 2 cos(m). Controlled BEC
system (4) is described as follows:
dy1 dR


= = y2 ,
d d
2
(7)
dy2 = d R = 1 v 2 y + gy 3 + I cos2 ()y vy + ke 22 cos(m) ,

1 1 0 1 2
d d 2 4
where k is the gain factor of the controller and m is frequency of the controller. For
initial states y1 (0) = 1.0 and y2 (0) = 0.0, the maximum Lyapunov exponents max
of the BEC system as functions of the gain factor k and control frequency m are
shown in Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) with v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5 and = 0.05. As
shown in Fig. 6(a), in several ranges, for example, 7.9 < k < 9.3, 10.8 < k < 12.0,
9.4 < k < 8.9, 30.0 < k < 29.2, 41.7 < k < 40.9 and 43.2 < k < 42.6,
the maximum Lyapunov exponent is negative with m = 1.0. If the gain factor
k takes the value in these ranges, the BEC system would be in periodic state.
Similarly, according to the results presented in Fig. 6(b), when the control frequency
m takes a certain value within 0.70 < m < 0.92, 1.13 < m < 1.27, 3.00 < m < 3.10
and 3.16 < m < 3.28, the maximum Lyapunov exponent is negative with k = 10.0.
Hence, we can also obtain a stable state by regulating m.
Equation (7) is solved numerically at k = 8.0, m = 1.0 or k = 10.0, m = 0.7.
The attractors projections on the y1 y2 plane and their corresponding time series
of y1 in the BEC system with v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5 and = 0.05 are drawn
in Figs. 7(a1), 7(b1) and 7(a2), 7(b2), respectively. Figure 7 shows that the chaotic
motion of the system can be converted into periodic orbit. Within the range of the
maximum Lyapunov exponent max < 0, regardless of m or k taking any value, the

1650238-7
 Z. Zhang, X. Feng & Z. Yao

15
10
10
5 5

0 0
y2

y2
-5 -5

-10
-10
-15
-4 -2 0 2 4 6 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4
y1 y1
(a) (b)
20
10
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15
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10
5
5
0 0
y2

y2

-5
-5
-10

-10 -15
-20
-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6
y1 y1
(c) (d)
20
15 20

10
10
5
0 0
y2

y2

-5
-10
-10
-15 -20
-20
-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
y1 y1
(e) (f)
30 15

20 10

10 5
0
y2

y2

0
-5
-10
-10
-20
-15
-30
-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
y1 y1
(g) (h)

Fig. 5. Attractors on y1 y2 plane at different values of N with = 1.0: (a) N = 14.0, (b) N =
15.7, (c) N = 23.9, (d) N = 35.4, (e) N = 39.4, (f) N = 45.6, (g) N = 68.0 and (h) N = 79.0.

1650238-8
 Chaos control of a BEC in a moving optical lattice

0.7 0.7
0.6 0.6
0.5 0.5
0.4 0.4
0.3

max
max

0.3
0.2 0.2
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
-0.1
-0.1
-0.2
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
k m
(a) (b)
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Fig. 6. (a) Maximum Lyapunov exponent max as a function of k for m = 1.0 and (b) maximum
Lyapunov exponent max as a function of m for k = 10.0 with v = 2.05, g = 0.75, I0 = 5.5 and
= 0.05.

8
5
6
4
4 3
2 2
0 1
y2

y1

-2 0
-1
-4
-2
-6
-3
-8 -4
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 100 120 140
y1
(a1) (b1)
8
5
6
4
4 3
2 2
0 1
y2

y1

-2 0
-1
-4
-2
-6
-3
-8 -4
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 100 120 140 160
y1
(a2) (b2)

Fig. 7. Attractors on y1 y2 plane and the time series of y1 . Panels (a1) and (b1) for k = 8.0 and
m = 1.0; panels (a2) and (b2) for k = 10.0 and m = 0.7.

1650238-9
 Z. Zhang, X. Feng & Z. Yao

scheme is activated and the system reaches period-1 motion. Stability is evidently
established in the system.

4. Conclusion
In summary, this paper is concerned with improving the performance or avoiding
the chaotic phenomena of a BEC in a moving optical lattice potential with attrac-
tive interaction. Here, chaotic motion should be converted into periodic motion.
Three methods of controlling chaos based on a controller are proposed. We apply a
constant bias, periodic force and wavelet function feedback to the BEC system for
controlling spatiotemporal chaos. The controller is added to the first or second ordi-
nary differential equations of the system, numerical simulation results show that the
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chaotic phase orbits of the BEC system are suppressed gradually. Chaotic states
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are converted into their periodic states with different period numbers according
to adjusting different bias constants or strengths of the force only if the maximal
Lyapunov exponent of the system is negative. For the method of wavelet function
feedback, when m or k takes any value with max < 0, the system reaches period-1
motion. Thus, the three designed controllers are verified numerically. Compared
with these three solutions for controlling chaos, we can obtain abundant effects of
chaotic control by using the methods of constant bias and periodic force in the BEC
system; while the system can easily be suppressed to only one stable state by using
the method of wavelet function feedback. Numerical simulations demonstrate that
our proposed control strategies are effective and feasible.

Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Industrial Technology Research and Development
Special Project of Jilin Province, China (Grant No. 2013C046) and the Natural
Science Foundation of Jilin Province, China (Grant No. 20101510).

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