Strong-Coupling Polarons in Dilute Gas Bose-Einstein Condensates

Abstract

A neutral impurity atom immersed in a dilute Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) can have a bound ground state in which the impurity is self-localized. In this polaronlike state, the impurity distorts the density of the surrounding BEC, thereby creating the self-trapping potential minimum. We describe the self-localization in a strong-coupling approach.