Stability of exact solutions of the defocusing nonlinear Schrodinger equation with periodic potential in two dimensions

The cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation with repulsive nonlinearity and elliptic function potential in two-dimensions models a repulsive dilute gas Bose--Einstein condensate in a lattice potential. A family of exact stationary solutions is presented and its stability is examined using analytical and numerical methods. All stable trivial-phase solutions are off-set from the zero level. Our results imply that a large number of condensed atoms is sufficient to form a stable, periodic condensate.