Matter-Wave-Optical-Wave Mixing-Induced Transparency and a Nonhyperbolic Matter-Wave Quasisoliton in Quantum Gases.

The realization of atomic quantum gases has brought out surprising effects that have no correspondence in nonlinear optics with thermal gases, presenting intriguing and exciting challenges to the research discipline of nonlinear optics which has matured since the invention of the laser. Here, we show an unexpected optical wave-mixing gain cancellation effect in a quantum gas that restricts an, otherwise, strongly enhanced backward-propagating light-matter wave-mixing process. This results in a wave-mixing induced transparency and a nonhyperbolic quasi-matter-wave soliton that opens new research opportunities in hydrodynamic fluid research of degenerate quantum gases, such as phonon scattering in a two-dimensional sonic black hole horizon.