Array of Bose-Einstein condensates under time-periodic Feshbach-resonance management

The dynamics of a discrete soliton in an array of Bose-Einstein condensates under the action of a periodically time-modulated atomic scattering length [Feshbach-resonance management (FRM)] is investigated. The cases of both slow and rapid modulations, in comparison with the tunneling frequency, are considered. We employ a discrete variational approach for the analysis of the system. The existence of nonlinear resonances and chaos is predicted at special values of the driving frequency. Soliton splitting is observed in numerical simulations. In the case of the rapid modulation, we derive an averaged equation, which is a generalized discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation, including higher-order effective nonlinearities and intersite nonlinear interactions. Thus the predicted discrete FRM solitons are a direct matter-wave analog of recently investigated discrete diffraction-managed optical solitons. © 2003 The American Physical Society.