Localized Phase Structures Growing Out of Quantum Fluctuations in a Quench of Tunnel-coupled Atomic Condensates

We investigate the relative phase between two weakly interacting 1D condensates of bosonic atoms after suddenly switching on the tunnel coupling. The following phase dynamics is governed by the quantum sine-Gordon equation. In the semiclassical limit of weak interactions, we observe the parametric amplification of quantum fluctuations leading to the formation of breathers with a finite lifetime. The typical lifetime and density of these “quasibreathers” are derived employing exact solutions of the classical sine-Gordon equation. Both depend on the initial relative phase between the condensates, which is considered as a tunable parameter.