Abstract: Matter-wave bright solitons are predicted to reflect from a purely attractive potential well although they are macroscopic objects with classical particle-like properties. The non-classical reflection occurs at small velocities and a pronounced switching to almost perfect transmission above a critical velocity is found, caused by nonlinear mean-field interactions. Full numerical results from the nonlinear Schrodinger equation are complimented by a two-mode variational calculation to explain the predicted effect, which can be used for velocity filtering of solitons. The experimental realization with laser-induced potentials or two-component Bose-Einstein condensates is suggested.

Keywords: nonlinear schrodinger solitons; beam-propagation; interfaces; scattering

Copyright © by the respective publisher. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the publisher.