Spin-orbit coupling induced displacement and hidden spin textures in spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates

• Published in: Journal of physics. B, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, 2013-07, Vol.46 (14), p.145304-1-10
• Main Authors: Song, Shu-Wei, Zhang, Yi-Cai, Wen, Lin, Wang, Hanquan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bose-Einstein condensate; Bose-Einstein condensates; Classical and quantum physics: mechanics and fields; Displacement; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic moment; Mathematical analysis; Matter waves; Physics; skyrmion; spin-orbit coupling; Spin-orbit interactions; spinor Bose-Einstein condensate; Strength; Surface layer; Texture
• ISSN: 0953-4075; 1361-6455
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-4075/46/14/145304

We analytically and numerically investigate the ground state of spin-orbit coupled spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates in an external parabolic potential. When the spin-orbit coupling is introduced, spatial displacement exists between the atom densities of components with different magnetic quantum numbers. The analytical calculations show this displacement reaches a maximum when the spin-orbit coupling strength is comparable with that of the trapping potential. As the spin-orbit coupling strength gets larger and larger, the spatial displacement decreases at a rate inversely proportional to the spin-orbit coupling strength. Correspondingly, periphery half-skyrmion textures arise; this displacement can be reflected by the non-uniform magnetic moment in the z direction. With the manipulation of the external trap, the local magnitude of the non-uniform magnetic moment can be increased evidently. This kind of increase of the local magnetic moment is also observed in the square vortex lattice phase of the condensate.