Observation of Solitonic Vortices in Bose-Einstein Condensates

Year: 2014

Authors: Donadello S., Serafini S., Tylutki M., Pitaevskii L.P., Dalfovo F., Lamporesi G., Ferrari G.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Trento, INO CNR BEC Ctr, I-38123 Povo, Italy; Univ Trento, Dipartimento Fis, I-38123 Povo, Italy; RAS, PL Kapitsa Phys Problems Inst, Moscow 119334, Russia.

Abstract: We observe solitonic vortices in an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) after free expansion. Clear signatures of the nature of such defects are the twisted planar density depletion around the vortex line, observed in absorption images, and the double dislocation in the interference pattern obtained through homodyne techniques. Both methods allow us to determine the sign of the quantized circulation. Experimental observations agree with numerical simulations. These solitonic vortices are the decay product of phase defects of the BEC order parameter spontaneously created after a rapid quench across the BEC transition in a cigar-shaped harmonic trap and are shown to have a very long lifetime.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

Volume: 113 (6)      Pages from: 65302-1  to: 65302-5

More Information: We thank Martin Zwierlein and Lawrence Cheuk for stimulating discussions and reciprocal exchange of unpublished data, and Andrea Invernizzi for technical assistance in the early stage of the experiment. We acknowledge financial support by ERC through the QGBE Grant and the Provincia Autonoma di Trento. M. T. thanks the support of the PL-Grid Infrastructure.
KeyWords: Vortex; Superfluid; Dynamics; Traps; Gases
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.065302

ImpactFactor: 7.512
Citations: 120
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