Finite-temperature dynamics of a bosonic Josephson junction

Abstract

In the framework of the stochastic projected Gross-Pitaevskii equation we investigate finite-temperature dynamics of a bosonic Josephson junction (BJJ) formed by a Bose-Einstein condensate of atoms in a two-well trapping potential. We extract the characteristic properties of the BJJ from the stationary finite-temperature solutions and compare the dynamics of the system with the resistively shunted Josephson model. Analyzing the decay dynamics of the relative population imbalance we estimate the effective normal conductance of the junction induced by thermal atoms. The calculated normal conductance at various temperatures is then compared with predictions of the noise-less model and the model of ballistic transport of thermal atoms.