Using a model many-body wave function I analyze the standard criterion for Bose-Einstein condensation and its relation to coherence properties of the system. I pay special attention to an attractive condensate under such a condition that a characteristic length scale of the spatial extension of its center of mass differs significantly from length scales of relative coordinates. I show that although no interference fringes are produced in the two-slit Young interference experiment performed on this system, fringes of a high visibility can be observed in a conditional simultaneous detection of two particles.

• Received 17 January 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.73.023603