Spin-changing collisions may lead under proper conditions to the parametric amplification of matter waves in spinor Bose-Einstein condensates. Magnetic dipole-dipole interactions, although typically very weak in alkaline atoms, are shown to play a very relevant role in the amplification process. We show that these interactions may lead to a strong dependence of the amplification dynamics on the angle between the trap axis and the magnetic-field orientation. We analyze as well the important role played by magnetic-field gradients, which modify also strongly the amplification process. Magnetic-field gradients must be hence carefully controlled in future experiments, in order to observe clearly the effects of the dipolar interactions in the amplification dynamics.
We study periodic crystalline spin textures in spinor condensates with dipolar interactions via a systematic symmetry analysis of the low-energy effective theory. By considering symmetry operations which combine real and spin space operations, we classify symmetry groups consistent with non-trivial experimental and theoretical constraints. Minimizing the energy within each symmetry class allows us to explore possible ground states.
We study a spinor condensate of alkali atoms in F = 1 hyperfine state under the presence of an oscillating magnetic field. We find resonances which, due to the dipolar interactions, magnify the transfer of atoms from mF = 1 to mF = 0 Zeeman sublevel. These resonances occur at magnetic fields of the order of milligaus and are broad enough to enable observation of the famous Einstein-de Haas effect, which is solely a dipolar effect, in systems of cold alkali gases.
Generating a spin vortex in a $^{87}$Rb dipolar spinor Bose-Einstein condensate in a controllable way is still experimentally challenging. We propose an experimentally easy and tunable way to produce spin vortex by varying the potential barrier height and the width of an additionally applied optical plug. A topological phase transition occurs from the trivial single mode approximation phase to the optical-plug-assisted-vortex one, as the barrier height increases and the width lies in an appropriate range. The optical plug causes radial density variation thus the spin vortex is favored by signi…
We used the Gross--Pitaevskii equations to investigate ferromagnetic resonance in spin-1 Bose--Einstein condensates with a magnetic dipole-dipole interaction. By introducing the dipole interaction, we obtained equations similar to the Kittel equations used to represent ferromagnetic resonance in condensed matter physics. These equations indicated that the ferromagnetic resonance originated from dipolar interaction, and that the resonance frequency depended upon the shape of the condensate. Furthermore, spin currents driven by spin diffusions are characteristic of this system.
Motivated by the recent experiment performed by the Berkeley group [G. E. Marti {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 113}, 155302 (2014)], we consider the dynamics of magnons in a spin-1 spinor-dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate, using mean-field theory. We show that the effective mass of a magnon is increased by the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction, as observed in the experiment. The magnon mass is also decreased by changing the direction of the magnetic field. The increase and decrease in the magnon mass manifest themselves in the acceleration of the magnons.
We investigate the ground-state and magnetic properties of a dipolar spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a symmetric double-well potential. In particular, we focus on the spin-vortex states by assuming that each potential well is highly pancake shaped. We show that the presence of the double-well potential gives rise to two different spin configurations for the spin-vortex pair states. We also study the response of the coupled spin-vortex pair to static transverse magnetic fields.
We study the spontaneous spin textures induced by magnetic dipole-dipole interaction in ferromagnetic spinor condensates under various trap geometries. At the mean-field level, we show the system is dual to a Dirac string gas with a negative string tension in which the ground state spin texture can be easily determined. We find that three-dimensional condensates prefer a meron-like vortex texture, quasi one-dimensional condensates prefer the axially polarized flare texture, while condensates in quasi two dimensions exhibit either a meron texture or an in-plane polarized texture.
We study spin mixing dynamics in a chromium dipolar Bose-Einstein Condensate, after tilting the atomic spins by an angle $θ$ with respect to the magnetic field. Spin mixing is triggered by dipolar coupling, but, once dynamics has started, it is mostly driven by contact interactions. For the particular case $θ=π/2$, an external spin-orbit coupling term induced by a magnetic gradient is required to enable the dynamics. Then the initial ferromagnetic character of the gas is locally preserved, an unexpected feature that we attribute to large spin-dependent contact interactions.
We introduce equations of motion for spin dynamics in a ferromagnetic Bose-Einstein condensate with magnetic dipole-dipole interaction, written using a vector expressing the superfluid velocity and a complex scalar describing the magnetization. This simple hydrodynamical description extracts the dynamics of spin wave and affords a straightforward approach by which to investigate the spin dynamics of the condensate. To demonstrate the advantages of the description, we illustrate dynamical instability and magnetic fluctuation preference, which are expressed in analytical forms.
Symmetry-breaking magnetization dynamics of a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) due to the dipole-dipole interaction are investigated using the mean-field and Bogoliubov theories. When a magnetic field is applied along the symmetry axis of a pancake-shaped BEC in the m = 0 hyperfine sublevel, transverse magnetization develops breaking the chiral or axial symmetry. A variety of magnetization patterns are formed depending on the strength of the applied magnetic field. The proposed phenomena can be observed in 87Rb and 23Na condensates.
We consider a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate with Rashba spin-orbit coupling and dipole-dipole interaction confined in a cigar-shaped trap. Due to the combined effects of spin-orbit coupling, dipole-dipole interaction, and trap geometry, the system exhibits a rich variety of ground-state spin structures, including twisted spin vortices. The ground-state phase diagram is determined with respect to the strengths of the spin-orbit coupling and dipole-dipole interaction.
An overview on the physics of spinor and dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) is given. Mean-field ground states, Bogoliubov spectra, and many-body ground and excited states of spinor BECs are discussed. Properties of spin-polarized dipolar BECs and those of spinor-dipolar BECs are reviewed. Some of the unique features of the vortices in spinor BECs such as fractional vortices and non-Abelian vortices are delineated. The symmetry of the order parameter is classified using group theory, and various topological excitations are investigated based on homotopy theory. Some of the more recent de…
Quantum degenerate Bose gases with an internal degree of freedom, known as spinor condensates, are natural candidates to study the interplay between magnetism and superfluidity. In the spinor condensates made of alkali atoms studied so far, the spinor properties are set by contact interactions, while magnetization is dynamically frozen, due to small magnetic dipole-dipole interactions. Here, we study the spinor properties of S=3 $^{52}$Cr atoms, in which relatively strong dipole-dipole interactions allow changes in magnetization. We observe a phase transition between a ferromagnetic phase and …
Motivated by recent experiments\cite{BA}\cite{BB}, we study quasi 2D ferromagnetic condensates with various aspect ratios. We find that in zero magnetic field, dipolar energy generates a local energy minimum with all the spins lie in the 2D plane forming a row of {\em circular} spin textures with {\em alternating} orientation, corresponding to a packing of vortices of {\em identical} vorticity in different spin components. In a large magnetic field, the system can fall into a long lived dynamical state consisting of an array of elliptic and hyperbolic Mermin-Ho spin textures, while the true eq…
We demonstrate how dipolar interactions can have pronounced effects on the structure of vortices in atomic spinor Bose-Einstein condensates and illustrate generic physical principles that apply across dipolar spinor systems. We then find and analyze the cores of singular vortices with non-Abelian charges in the point-group symmetry of a spin-3 $^{52}$Cr condensate. Using a simpler model system, we analyze the underlying dipolar physics and show how a characteristic length scale arising from the magnetic dipolar coupling interacts with the hierarchy of healing lengths of the s-wave scattering, …
We theoretically study the internal Josephson effect, which is driven by spin exchange interactions and magnetic dipole-dipole interactions, in a three-level system for spin-1 Bose--Einstein condensates, obtaining novel spin dynamics. We introduce single spatial mode approximations into the Gross--Pitaevskii equations and derive the Josephson type equations, which are analogous to tunneling currents through three junctions between three superconductors. From an analogy with two interacting nonrigid pendulums, we identify unique varied oscillational modes, called the 0--$π$, 0--$running$, $runn…
Parametric amplification of vacuum fluctuations is crucial in modern quantum optics, enabling the creation of squeezing and entanglement. We demonstrate the parametric amplification of vacuum fluctuations for matter waves using a spinor F=2 Rb-87 condensate. Interatomic interactions lead to correlated pair creation in the m_F= +/- 1 states from an initial unstable m_F=0 condensate, which acts as a vacuum for m_F unequal 0. Although this pair creation from a pure m_F=0 condensate is ideally triggered by vacuum fluctuations, unavoidable spurious initial m_F= +/- 1 atoms induce a classical seed w…
The main properties and methods of describing dipolar and spinor atomic systems, composed of bosonic atoms or molecules, are reviewed. The general approach for the correct treatment of Bose-condensed atomic systems with nonlocal interaction potentials is explained. The approach is applied to Bose-condensed systems with dipolar interaction potentials. The properties of systems with spinor interaction potentials are described. Trapped atoms and atoms in optical lattices are considered. Effective spin Hamiltonians for atoms in optical lattices are derived. The possibility of spintronics with cold…
We study the spin dynamics in a spin-1 ferromagnetic Bose-Einstein condensate with magnetic dipole-dipole interaction (MDDI) based on the Gross-Pitaevskii and Bogoliubov theories. We find that various magnetic structures such as checkerboards and stripes emerge in the course of the dynamics due to the combined effects of spin-exchange interaction, MDDI, quadratic Zeeman and finite-size effects, and non-stationary initial conditions. However, the short-range magnetic order observed by the Berkeley group [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 100}, 170403 (2008)] is not fully reproduced in our calculations; the…
We consider quasi-one-dimensional dipolar spinor Bose-Einstein condensates in the homogeneous-local-spin-orientation approximation, that is with unidirectional local magnetization. By analytically calculating the exact effective dipole-dipole interaction, we derive a Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for the dissipative condensate magnetization dynamics, and show how it leads to the Stoner-Wohlfarth model of a uni-axial ferro-magnetic particle, where the latter model determines the stable magnetization patterns and hysteresis curves for switching between them. For an external magnetic field poi…
The collisional and magnetic field quench dynamics of a coupled spin-vortex pair in dipolar spinor Bose-Einstein condensates in a double well potential are numerically investigated in the mean field theory. Upon a sudden release of the potential barrier the two layers of condensates collide with each other in the trap center with the chirality of the vortex pair exchanged after each collision, showing the typical signature of in-phase collision for the parallel spin vortex phase, and out-of-phase collision for the antiparallel phase. When quenching the transverse magnetic field, the vortex cen…
We theoretically show that the spin Hall effect arises in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of neutral atoms interacting via the magnetic dipole-dipole interactions (MDDIs). Since the MDDI couples the total spin angular momentum and the relative orbital angular momentum of two colliding atoms, it works as a spin-orbit coupling. Thus, when we prepare a BEC in a magnetic sublevel $m=0$, thermally and quantum-mechanically excited atoms in the $m=1$ and $-1$ states feel the Lorentz-like foces in the opposite directions. This is the origin for the emergence of the the spin Hall effect. We define the…
We study the effect of dipolar interactions on the level of squeezing in spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates by using the single mode approximation. We limit our consideration to the $\mathfrak{su}(2)$ Lie subalgebra spanned by spin operators. The biaxial nature of dipolar interactions allows for dynamical generation of spin-squeezed states in the system. We analyze the phase portraits in the reduced mean-filed space in order to determine positions of unstable fixed points. We calculate numerically spin squeezing parameter showing that it is possible to reach the strongest squeezing set by the tw…
Recent experimental studies of $^{87}$Rb spinor Bose Einstein condensates have shown the existence of a magnetic field driven quantum phase transition accompanied by structure formation on the ferromagnetic side of the transition. In this theoretical study we examine the dynamics of the unstable modes following the transition taking into account the effects of the trap, non-linearities, finite temperature and dipole-dipole interactions. Starting from an initial state which includes quantum fluctuations, we attempt to make quantitative comparisons with recent experimental data on this system an…
Spinor bosons offer conceptually simple picture of macroscopic quantum behavior of topological order-by-disorder: Paramagnetic state of two-component dipolar bosons in orbitally degenerate zig-zag lattice is unstable against infinitezimal quantum fluctuations of orbitals towards developing non-local hidden order. Adjacent to the topological state locally correlated exact ground state with spontaneously quadrupoled lattice constant is realized for the broad parameter regime.
We study the low-energy effective theory of spinor condensate ferromagnets for the superfluid velocity and magnetization degrees of freedom. This effective theory describes the competition between spin stiffness and a long-ranged interaction between skyrmions, topological objects familiar from the theory of ordinary ferromagnets. We find exact solutions to the non-linear equations of motion describing neutral configurations of skyrmions and anti-skyrmions. These analytical solutions provide a simple physical picture for the origin of crystalline magnetic order in spinor condensate ferromagnets…
Parametric amplification of quantum fluctuations constitutes a fundamental mechanism for spontaneous symmetry breaking. In our experiments, a spinor condensate acts as a parametric amplifier of spin modes, resulting in a twofold spontaneous breaking of spatial and spin symmetry in the amplified clouds. Our experiments permit a precise analysis of the amplification in specific spatial Bessel-like modes, allowing for the detailed understanding of the double symmetry breaking. On resonances that create vortex-antivortex superpositions, we show that the cylindrical spatial symmetry is spontaneousl…
With current magnetic field shielding and high precision detection in dipolar spinor Bose-Einstein condensates, it is possible to experimentally detect the low or zero field nonsecular dipolar dynamics. Here we analytically investigate the zero-field nonsecular magnetic dipolar interaction effect, with an emphasis on magnetization dynamics in a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate under the single spatial mode approximation within the mean field theory. Due to the biaxial nature of the dipolar interaction, a novel resonance occurs in the condensate magnetization oscillation, contrast to the previou…
The ground state of a one-dimensional (1D) quantum gas of dipoles oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with a strong 1/x^3 repulsive potential, is studied at low 1D densities $n$. Near contact the dependence of the many-body wave function on the separation x_{jl} of two particles reduces to a two-body wave function Ψ_{rel}(x_{jl}). Immediately after a sudden rotation of the dipoles so that they are parallel to the longitudinal axis, this wave function will still be that of the repulsive potential, but since the potential is now that of the attractive potential, it will not be stati…
We study the thermal activation of spin fluctuations in dynamically-stable spinor Bose-Einstein condensates. We analyze the specific cases of a non-dipolar spin-1 condensate in m = 0, where thermal activation results from spin-changing collisions, and of a Chromium condensate in the maximally stretched state m = -3, where thermal spin fluctuations are due to dipole-induced spin- relaxation. In both cases, we show that the low energy associated to the spinor physics may be employed for thermometry purposes down to extremely low temperatures, typically impossible to measure in BECs with usual th…
We investigate the Stückelberg oscillations of a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate subject to a spatially inhomogeneous transverse magnetic field and a periodic longitudinal field. We show that the time-domain Stückelberg oscillations result in interference fringes in the density profiles of all spin components due to the spatial inhomogeneity of the transverse field. This phenomenon represents the Landau-Zener-Stückelberg interference in the space-domain. Since the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction between spin-1 atoms induces an inhomogeneous effective magnetic field, interference fringes als…
In this paper, we systematically review mathematical models, theories and numerical methods for ground states and dynamics of spinor Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) based on the coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations (GPEs). We start with a pseudo spin-1/2 BEC system with/without an internal atomic Josephson junction and spin-orbit coupling including (i) existence and uniqueness as well as non-existence of ground states under different parameter regimes, (ii) ground state structures under different limiting parameter regimes, (iii) dynamical properties, and (iv) efficient and accurate numerical m…
Spatially anisotropic solitary vortices (AVSs), supported by anisotropic dipole-dipole interactions, were recently predicted in spin-orbit-coupled binary Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), in the form of two-dimensional semi-vortices (complexes built of zero-vorticity and vortical components). We demonstrate that the shape of the AVSs -- horizontal or vertical, with respect to the in-plane polarization of the atomic dipole moments in the underlying BEC -- may be effectively controlled by strength $Ω$ of the Zeeman splitting (ZS). A transition from the horizontal to vertical shape with the incre…
Ultra-cold dipolar spinor fermions in zig-zag type optical lattices can mimic spin-orbital models relevant in solid-state systems, as transition-metal oxides with partially filled d-levels, with the interesting advantage of reviving the quantum nature of orbital fluctuations. We discuss two different physical systems in which these models may be simulated, showing that the interplay between lattice geometry and spin-orbital quantum dynamics produces a wealth of novel quantum phases.
We study a spinor condensate of Rb-87 atoms in F = 1 hyperfine state confined in an optical dipole trap. Putting initially all atoms in mF = 1 component we observe a significant transfer of atoms to other, initially empty Zeeman states exclusively due to dipolar forces. Because of conservation of a total angular momentum the atoms going to other Zeeman components acquire an orbital angular momentum and circulate around the center of the trap. This is a realization of Einstein-de Haas effect in a system of cold gases. We show that the transfer of atoms via dipolar interaction is possible only w…
We investigate the spin dynamics of half-solitons in polariton Bose-Einstein condensates. Half-solitons, which behave as magnetic monopoles, can be accelerated in the presence of the effective magnetic field of the microcavity. We study the generation of DC magnetic currents in a gas of half-solitons. At low densities, the current is suppressed due to the dipolar oscillations. At moderate densities, a magnetic current is recovered as a consequence of the collisions between the carriers. We show a deviation from Ohm's law due to the competition between magnetic dipoles and monopoles.
We have solved numerically the ground states of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of dipolar interparticle forces using a semiclassical approach. Our motivation is to model, in particular, the spontaneous spin textures emerging in quantum gases with large dipole moments, such as 52Cr or Dy condensates, or ultracold gases consisting of polar molecules. For a pancake-shaped harmonic (optical) potential, we present the ground state phase diagram spanned by the strength of the nonlinear coupling and dipolar interactions. In an elongated harmonic potential, we observe a novel helical spin …
We present gap solitons (GSs) that can be created in free nearly two-dimensional (2D) space in dipolar spinor Bose-Einstein condensates with the spin-orbit coupling (SOC), subject to tight confinement, with size $a_{\perp }$, in the third direction. For quasi-2D patterns, with lateral sizes $l\gg a_{\perp }$, the kinetic-energy terms in the respective spinor Gross-Pitaevskii equations may be neglected in comparison with SOC. This gives rise to a bandgap in the system's spectrum, in the presence of the Zeeman splitting between the spinor components. While the present system with contact interac…
It remains a challenge to independently manipulate the magnetic dipolar and the spin-exchange interactions, which are entangled in many spin systems, particularly in spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates. For this purpose, we put forward a sequence of rf pulses and the periodic dynamical decoupling sequence of optical Feshbach resonance pulses to control the dipolar and the spin-exchange interactions, respectively. Our analytic results and the numerical simulations demonstrate that either of the two interactions can be suppressed to make the other dominate the spin dynamics; furthermore, both of th…
We present a flexible scheme to realize exact flat Landau levels on curved spherical geometry in a system of spinful cold atoms. This is achieved by Floquet engineering of a magnetic quadrupole field. We show that a synthetic monopole field in real space can be created. We prove that the system can be exactly mapped to the electron-monopole system on sphere, thus realizing Haldane's spherical geometry for fractional quantum Hall physics. The scheme works for either bosons or fermions. We investigate the ground state vortex pattern for an $s$-wave interacting atomic condensate by mapping this s…
We study the spin distillation of spinor gases of bosonic atoms and find two different mechanisms in ${}^{52}$Cr and $^{23}$Na atoms, both of which can cool effectively. The first mechanism involves dipolar scattering into initially unoccupied spin states and cools only above a threshold magnetic field. The second proceeds via equilibrium relaxation of the thermal cloud into empty spin states, reducing its proportion in the initial component. It cools only below a threshold magnetic field. The technique was initially demonstrated experimentally for a chromium dipolar gas [B. Naylor et al., Phy…
In this work we present a very simple and efficient numerical scheme which can be applied to study the dynamics of bosonic systems like, for instance, spinor Bose-Einstein condensates with nonlocal interactions but equally well works for Fermi gases. The method we use is a modification of well known Split Operator Method (SOM). We carefully examine this algorithm in the case of $F=1$ spinor Bose-Einstein condensate without and with dipolar interactions and for strongly interacting two-component Fermi gas. Our extension of the SOM method has many advantages: it is fast, stable, and keeps consta…
We study a Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian of ultracold two component gas of spinor Chromium atoms. Dipolar interactions of magnetic moments while tuned resonantly by ultralow magnetic field can lead to spin flipping. Due to approximate axial symmetry of individual lattice site, total angular momentum is conserved. Therefore, all changes of the spin are accompanied by the appearance of the angular orbital momentum. This way excited Wannier states with non vanishing angular orbital momentum can be created. Resonant dipolar coupling of the two component Bose gas introduces additional degree of control …
We propose and experimentally demonstrate a new cooling mechanism leading to purification of a spinor Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC). Our scheme starts with a BEC polarized in the lowest energy spin state. Spin excited states are thermally populated by lowering the single particle energy gap set by the magnetic field. Then these spin-excited thermal components are filtered out, which leads to an increase of the BEC fraction. We experimentally demonstrate such cooling for a spin 3 52Cr dipolar BEC. Our scheme should be applicable to Na or Rb, with perspective to reach temperatures below 1 nK.
We report families of two-dimensional (2D) composite solitons in spinor dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates, with two localized components linearly mixed by the spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and the intrinsic nonlinearity represented by the dipole-dipole interaction (DDI) between atomic magnetic moments polarized in-plane by an external magnetic field. Recently, stable solitons were predicted in the form of \textit{semi-vortices} (composites built of coupled fundamental and vortical components) in the 2D system combining the SOC and contact attractive interactions. Replacing the latter by the aniso…
Spinor ultracold gases in one dimension represent an interesting example of strongly correlated quantum fluids. They have a rich phase diagram and exhibit a variety of quantum phase transitions. We consider a one-dimensional spinor gas of bosons with a large spin $S$. A particular example is the gas of chromium atoms (S=3), where the dipolar collisions efficiently change the magnetization and make the system sensitive to the linear Zeeman effect. We argue that in one dimension the most interesting effects come from the pairing interaction. If this interaction is negative, it gives rise to a (q…
For many years, $^4$He typified Bose-Einstein superfluids, but recent advances in dilute ultra-cold alkali-metal gases have provided new neutral superfluids that are particularly tractable because the system is dilute. This chapter starts with a brief review of the physics of superfluid $^4$He, followed by the basic ideas of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC), first for an ideal Bose gas and then considering the effect of interparticle interactions, including time-dependent phenomena. Extensions to more exotic condensates include magnetic dipolar gases, mixtures of two components, and spinor con…
This work deals with matter-wave bright soliton molecules in spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates described by three-component Gross-Pitaevskii equations with non-autonomous nonlinearities that can be tuned by Feshbach resonance management. Notably, it portrays the possibility of generating bright bound soliton molecules with the help of an exact analytic solution under a controlled velocity resonance mechanism. Results show that these soliton molecules experience the effects of time-varying nonlinearities and modulate themselves during propagation by keeping their stable properties. Significantly…
