Quantum plasticity and supersolidity

Shinichi Saito, Susumu Kurihara, Y. Y. Suzuki

Nicolò Antolini, Giulio Biagioni

Superfluids can become crystals, obtaining rigidity and plasticity in analogy with classical solids, but keeping their typical properties of quantum coherence. The resulting phase is a supersolid, recently observed experimentally in a dipolar quantum gas. We have studied the phase transition from the superfluid to the supersolid, highlighting the analogies and differences with the corresponding classical transition from liquid to solid.

Hui Li, Eli Halperin, Shai Ronen +1 more

We theoretically investigate the merging behaviour of two identical supersolids through dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates confined within a double-well potential. By adiabatically tuning the barrier height and the spacing between the two wells for specific trap aspect ratios, the two supersolids move toward each other and lead to the emergence of a variety of ground state phases, including a supersolid state, a macrodroplet state, a ring state, and a labyrinth state. We construct a phase diagram that characterizes various states seen during the merging transition. Further, we calculate the force required to pull the two portions of the gas apart, finding that the merged supersolids act like a deformable plastic material. Our work paves the way for future studies of layer structure in dipolar supersolids and the interaction between them in experiments.

Hui Li, Eli Halperin, Shai Ronen +1 more

We theoretically investigate the merging behavior of two identical supersolids through dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates confined within a double-well potential. By adiabatically tuning the barrier height and the spacing between the two wells for specific trap aspect ratios, the two supersolids move toward each other and lead to the emergence of a variety of ground-state phases, including a supersolid state, a macrodroplet state, a ring state, and a labyrinth state. We construct a phase diagram that characterizes various states seen during the merging transition. Further, we calculate the force required to pull the two portions of the gas apart, finding that the merged supersolids act like a deformable plastic material. Our work paves the way for future studies of layer structure in dipolar supersolids and the interaction between them in experiments.

Yongle Yu