Quantum control of classical motion: piston dynamics in a Rabi-coupled Bose–Einstein condensate

Abstract

Abstract We develop a model and explore the dynamics of a hybrid classical-quantum system consisting of a classical piston and a self-interacting pseudospin 1/2 Bose–Einstein condensate with a time-dependent Rabi coupling. We investigate the mechanical work produced by the piston moving as a result of the quantum pressure of the condensate. The time-dependent Rabi field redistributes the condensate density between the spin components and, as a result, causes a time-dependent pressure acting on the piston. Correspondingly, the motion of the piston produces quantum evolution of the condensate mass- and spin density profiles. We show how by optimised design of the time-dependent direction of the Rabi field based on a quasi-stationary quantum pressure approximation, one can control both the position and velocity of the piston.