Interference effects between three coupled Bose-Einstein condensates

We study the interference effects between three weakly linked trapped Bose- Einstein condensates (BEC) as a generalization of the two-component condens ates. Three coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations (GPE) are used to describe t he dynamics of the system. The nonsinusoidal oscillation is found as a gene ralization of the Josephson effect in superconductivity. The self-trapped e ffects are also predicted in three coupled BEG. Moreover, in general case, the phase diagrams of the system are closed only for some special parameter s, which can be used to determine the interaction parameters between atoms in BEG. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.