Domain formation and dynamics in a Bose-Einstein condensate with density-dependent gauge field

ORAL

Abstract

We investigate the equilibrium and dynamical properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate with a density-dependent gauge field. Based on Floquet engineering, we create a gauge field taking on one of two values, depending on whether the density exceeds a critical threshold. This allows a large change of the gauge field over a small range of the density, as well as formation of domains where atoms condense to different momenta. Our Floquet engineering scheme results in a low rate of loss and heating, enabling us to investigate the equilibrium and dynamical properties of the many-body system over hundreds of milliseconds. We observe the dependence of the condensate momentum on the local density in equilibrium, and find good agreement with theoretical predictions. We further study the dynamics of the domain walls in response to a change of the gauge field, and find a behavior consistent with energy relaxation.

*James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute, Department of Physics, University of Chicago

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Presenters

  • Kai-Xuan Yao

    • The James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago

Authors

  • Kai-Xuan Yao

    • The James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago

  • Zhendong Zhang

    • The James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago

  • Shu Nagata

    • The James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago

  • Cheng Chin

    • The James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago
    • U Chicago
    • James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute, Physics Department, University of Chicago
    • James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute, Department of Physics, University of Chicago
    • James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago