Paper detail

Quantum control beyond the adiabatic regime in 2D curved matter-wave guides

The propagation of matter waves in curved geometry is relevant for electrons in nano-wires, solid-state physics structures and atomtronics. Curvature effects are usually addressed within the adiabatic limit and treated via an effective potential acting on the manifold to which the particles are strongly confined. However, the strength of the confinements that can be achieved experimentally are in practice limited, and the adiabatic approximation framework often appears too restrictive for the realistic design of relevant propagation structures. Here, we explore the design of 2D sharply bent wave-guides for the propagation of matter waves beyond the adiabatic regime. The bend design, which enables the connection of guide components rotated by an arbitrary angle and of arbitrary curvatures, rests on an exact inverse-engineering technique. The resolution of the full 2D Schrödinger equation in curved geometry shows that our method yields reflectionless guides with a transverse stability improved by several orders of magnitude when compared to circular guides of similar size.