Observation of vortices in a dipolar supersolid

Supersolids represent a unique class of matter characterized by the spontaneous breaking of two continuous symmetries: translational invariance, resulting from the emergence of a crystal structure, and phase invariance, attributed to the phase locking of single-particle wave functions that underlie superfluid phenomena. Initially hypothesized in solid helium, the observation of supersolids has found a pioneering platform in ultracold quantum gases, particularly with notable success in dipolar atoms. While coherent phase locking in dipolar supersolids has been extensively explored through measurements of phase coherence and gapless Goldstone modes, the identification of quantized vortices, a key hydrodynamic fingerprint of superfluidity, has remained elusive.



In this talk, we present our recent results in generating vortices in dipolar supersolid gases with two-dimensional crystalline order. Our theoretical investigation and experimental observations reveal a fundamental difference in vortex seeding dynamics between unmodulated and modulated quantum fluids. This research not only marks a significant advancement in our understanding of dipolar supersolids but also opens new avenues for studying the hydrodynamic properties of exotic quantum systems exhibiting multiple spontaneously broken symmetries.