27pEE-4 Review of experimental results on supersolidity(27pEE Nonequilibrium phenomena in quantum gases, fluids, and solids)

圭也 白濱

Eva Casotti, Elena Poli, Lauritz Klaus +6 more

Supersolids are states of matter that spontaneously break two continuous symmetries: translational invariance due to the appearance of a crystal structure and phase invariance due to phase locking of single-particle wave functions, responsible for superfluid phenomena. While originally predicted to be present in solid helium, ultracold quantum gases provided a first platform to observe supersolids, with particular success coming from dipolar atoms. Phase locking in dipolar supersolids has been probed through e.g. measurements of the phase coherence and gapless Goldstone modes, but quantized vortices, a hydrodynamic fingerprint of superfluidity, have not yet been observed. Here, with the prerequisite pieces at our disposal, namely a method to generate vortices in dipolar gases and supersolids with two-dimensional crystalline order, we report on the theoretical investigation and experimental observation of vortices in the supersolid phase. Our work reveals a fundamental difference in vortex seeding dynamics between unmodulated and modulated quantum fluids. This opens the door to study the hydrodynamic properties of exotic quantum systems with multiple spontaneously broken symmetries, in disparate domains such as quantum crystals and neutron stars.

Sergio Rica

Andrea Morales

Kiryang Kwon, Jae-yoon Choi

Spontaneous pattern formation out of homogeneous media is one of the well-understood examples of hydrodynamic instabilities in classical systems, which naturally leads to the question of its manifestation in quantum fluids. Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) of atomic gases have been an ideal platform for studying many-body quantum phenomena, such as superfluidity, and simultaneously providing an opportunity to broaden our understanding of classical hydrodynamics into quantum systems. In this review, we introduce a range of experimental studies on the pattern formation in quantum fluids of atomic gases under external driving, including Faraday waves in one and two dimensions, surface patterns, and counterflow instabilities in a mixture of superfluids. The pattern formation in the quantum system can be understood through the parametric amplification process, where an unstable dynamical mode can be exponentially amplified, similar to classical systems. Remarkably, the governing equations for surface excitations of trapped BECs can be mathematically equivalent to those of shallow water, indicating a universal description of the hydrodynamic instability across classical and quantum domains. However, the condensates, as superfluids, also possess fundamental quantum characteristics, such as quantized vorticity and a distinct dissipation channel. These unique features showcase many-body fragmentation under strong modulation and the generation of vortices in the nonlinear regime, which could offer a pathway to the study of quantum turbulence. Furthermore, the coexistence of long-range phase coherence and density modulation in driven condensates could provide unexplored features, such as those seen in supersolid-like sound modes, within nonequilibrium settings.

Dan Stamper-Kurn, Masahito Ueda

Spinor Bose gases form a family of quantum fluids manifesting both magnetic order and superfluidity. This article reviews experimental and theoretical progress in understanding the static and dynamic properties of these fluids. The connection between system properties and the rotational symmetry properties of the atomic states and their interactions are investigated. Following a review of the experimental techniques used for characterizing spinor gases, their mean-field and many-body ground states, both in isolation and under the application of symmetry-breaking external fields, are discussed. These states serve as the starting point for understanding low-energy dynamics, spin textures, and topological defects, effects of magnetic-dipole interactions, and various nonequilibrium collective spin-mixing phenomena. The paper aims to form connections and establish coherence among the vast range of works on spinor Bose gases, so as to point to open questions and future research opportunities.