Hopfions are a class of three-dimensional (3D) solitons which are built as vortex tori carrying intrinsic twist of the toroidal core. They are characterized by two independent topological charges, \textit{viz}., vorticity $S$ and winding number $M$ of the intrinsic twist, whose product determines the \textit{Hopf number}, $Q_{H}=MS$ , which is the basic characteristic of the hopfions. We construct hopfions as solutions of the 3D Gross-Pitaevskii equations (GPEs) for Bose-Einstein condensates in binary atomic gases. The GPE system includes the cubic mean-field self-attraction, competing with the quartic self-repulsive Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, which represents effects of quantum fluctuations around the mean-field state, and a trapping toroidal potential (TP). A systematic numerical analysis demonstrates that families of the states with $S=1,M=0$ , i.e., $Q_{H}=0$ , are stable, provided that the inner TP\ radius $R_{0}$ exceeds a critical value. Furthermore, true hopfions with $S=1,M=1\sim 7$ , which correspond, accordingly, to $Q_{H}=1\sim 7$ , also form partly stable families, including the case of the LHY\ superfluid, in which the nonlinearity is represented solely by the LHY term. On the other hand, the hopfion family is completely unstable in the absence of the LHY term, when only the mean-field nonlinearity is present. We illustrate the knot-like structure of the hopfions by means of an elementary geometric picture. For $Q_{H}=0$ , circles which represent the \textit{preimage} of the full state do not intersect. On the contrary, for $Q_{H}\geq 1$ they intersect at points whose number is identical to $Q_{H}$ . The intersecting curves form multi-petal structures with the number of petals also equal to $Q_{H}$ .Hopfions are a class of three-dimensional (3D) solitons which are built as vortex tori carrying intrinsic twist of the toroidal core. They are characterized by two independent topological charges, \textit{viz}., vorticity $S$ and winding number $M$ of the intrinsic twist, whose product determines the \textit{Hopf number}, $Q_{H}=MS$, which is the basic characteristic of the hopfions. We construct hopfions as solutions of the 3D Gross-Pitaevskii equations (GPEs) for Bose-Einstein condensates in binary atomic gases. The GPE system includes the cubic mean-field self-attraction, competing with the quartic self-repulsive Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, which represents effects of quantum fluctuations around the mean-field state, and a trapping toroidal potential (TP). A systematic numerical analysis demonstrates that families of the states with $S=1,M=0$, i.e., $Q_{H}=0$, are stable, provided that the inner TP\ radius $R_{0}$ exceeds a critical value. Furthermore, true hopfions with $S=1,M=1\sim 7$, which correspond, accordingly, to $Q_{H}=1\sim 7$, also form partly stable families, including the case of the LHY\ superfluid, in which the nonlinearity is represented solely by the LHY term. On the other hand, the hopfion family is completely unstable in the absence of the LHY term, when only the mean-field nonlinearity is present. We illustrate the knot-like structure of the hopfions by means of an elementary geometric picture. For $Q_{H}=0$, circles which represent the \textit{preimage} of the full state do not intersect. On the contrary, for $Q_{H}\geq 1$ they intersect at points whose number is identical to $Q_{H}$. The intersecting curves form multi-petal structures with the number of petals also equal to $Q_{H}$.

arXiv:2507.10910Jul 15, 20250 citations

Hopfions in the Lee-Huang-Yang superfluids

Liangwei Dong, Fan, Mingjing, Boris A. Malomed +1 more

It is known that, under appropriate conditions, mean-field interactions can be canceled in binary BEC, leading to the formation of the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) superfluid, in which the nonlinearity is solely represented by the quartic LHY term. In this work we systematically investigate the existence, stability and evolution of hopfion states in this species of quantum matter. They are characterized by two independent topological winding numbers: inner twist $s$ of the vortex-ring core and overall vorticity $m$ . The interplay between the LHY self-repulsion and a trapping harmonic-oscillator potential results in stability of the hopfions with $s = 1$ and $m$ ranging from $0$ to $4$ . The hopfions exhibit distinct topological phase distributions along the vertical axis and the radial direction in the horizontal plane. Their effective radius and peak density increase with the chemical potential, along with expansion of the vortex-ring core. Although the instability domain of the hopfion modes broadens with the increase of $m$ , stable hopfions persist in a wide range of the chemical potential, up to $m=4$ , at least, provided that the norm exceeds a certain threshold value. The predictions are experimentally accessible in currently used BEC setups.It is known that, under appropriate conditions, mean-field interactions can be canceled in binary BEC, leading to the formation of the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) superfluid, in which the nonlinearity is solely represented by the quartic LHY term. In this work we systematically investigate the existence, stability and evolution of hopfion states in this species of quantum matter. They are characterized by two independent topological winding numbers: inner twist $s$ of the vortex-ring core and overall vorticity $m$. The interplay between the LHY self-repulsion and a trapping harmonic-oscillator potential results in stability of the hopfions with $s = 1$ and $m$ ranging from $0$ to $4$. The hopfions exhibit distinct topological phase distributions along the vertical axis and the radial direction in the horizontal plane. Their effective radius and peak density increase with the chemical potential, along with expansion of the vortex-ring core. Although the instability domain of the hopfion modes broadens with the increase of $m$, stable hopfions persist in a wide range of the chemical potential, up to $m=4$, at least, provided that the norm exceeds a certain threshold value. The predictions are experimentally accessible in currently used BEC setups.

arXiv:2511.10977Nov 14, 20250 citations

Three-dimensional droplets of swirling superfluids

Yaroslav V. Kartashov, Boris A. Malomed, Leticia Tarruell +1 more

A method for the creation of three-dimensional (3D) solitary topological modes, corresponding to vortical droplets of a two-component dilute superfluid, is presented. We use the recently introduced system of nonlinearly coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations, which include contact attraction between the components, and quartic repulsion stemming from the Lee-Huang-Yang correction to the mean-field energy. Self-trapped vortex tori, carrying the topological charges ${m}_{1}={m}_{2}=1$ or ${m}_{1}={m}_{2}=2$ in their components, are constructed by means of numerical and approximate analytical methods. The analysis reveals stability regions for the vortex droplets (in broad and relatively narrow parameter regions for ${m}_{1,2}=1$ and ${m}_{1,2}=2$ , respectively). The results provide a scenario for the creation of stable 3D self-trapped states with the double vorticity ( ${m}_{1,2}=2$ ). The stable modes are shaped as flat-top ones, with the space between the inner hole, induced by the vorticity, and the outer boundary filled by a nearly constant density. On the other hand, all modes with hidden vorticity, i.e., topological charges of the two components ${m}_{1}=\ensuremath{-}{m}_{2}=1$, are unstable. The stability of the droplets with ${m}_{1,2}=1$ against splitting (which is the main scenario of possible instability) is explained by estimating analytically the energy of the split and unsplit states. The predicted results may be implemented, exploiting dilute quantum droplets in mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates.A method for the creation of three-dimensional (3D) solitary topological modes, corresponding to vortical droplets of a two-component dilute superfluid, is presented. We use the recently introduced system of nonlinearly coupled Gross-Pitaevskii equations, which include contact attraction between the components, and quartic repulsion stemming from the Lee-Huang-Yang correction to the mean-field energy. Self-trapped vortex tori, carrying the topological charges ${m}_{1}={m}_{2}=1$ or ${m}_{1}={m}_{2}=2$ in their components, are constructed by means of numerical and approximate analytical methods. The analysis reveals stability regions for the vortex droplets (in broad and relatively narrow parameter regions for ${m}_{1,2}=1$ and ${m}_{1,2}=2$, respectively). The results provide a scenario for the creation of stable 3D self-trapped states with the double vorticity (${m}_{1,2}=2$). The stable modes are shaped as flat-top ones, with the space between the inner hole, induced by the vorticity, and the outer boundary filled by a nearly constant density. On the other hand, all modes with hidden vorticity, i.e., topological charges of the two components ${m}_{1}=\ensuremath{-}{m}_{2}=1$, are unstable. The stability of the droplets with ${m}_{1,2}=1$ against splitting (which is the main scenario of possible instability) is explained by estimating analytically the energy of the split and unsplit states. The predicted results may be implemented, exploiting dilute quantum droplets in mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates.

arXiv:1806.08570Physical Review AJul 12, 2018149 citations

Toroidal Confinement and Beyond: Vorticity-Defined Morphologies of Dipolar $^{164}$ Dy Quantum DropletsToroidal Confinement and Beyond: Vorticity-Defined Morphologies of Dipolar $^{164}$Dy Quantum Droplets

S. Sanjay, S. Saravana Veni, Boris A. Malomed

We investigate the formation, stability, and dynamics of 3D ring-shaped and multipole vortical quantum droplets (QDs) in non-rotating dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates held in a toroidal trapping potential. The QD dynamics are investigated in the framework of the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which includes long-range dipole-dipole interactions (DDI) and the beyond-mean-field Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, revealing the emergence of self-bound states. Stable stationary solutions for multipole QDs with different values of the topological charge (vorticity $S$ ) are shaped as necklace-like modes, with the number of \textquotedblleft beads" (multipole's order) $n=2S$ , up to $S=6$ . The stability area of the multipoles shrinks with the increase of $S$ . For higher values of $S$ the centrifugal effect associated with the phase winding destabilizes the annular density and drives the formation of fragmented multipole droplet states. The dependence of the chemical potential, total energy and peak density on the norm (number of particles) and $S$ is produced. These findings uncover the stabilizing effect of the LHY correction and DDI anisotropy in maintaining complex QD states in the non-rotating configurations.We investigate the formation, stability, and dynamics of 3D ring-shaped and multipole vortical quantum droplets (QDs) in non-rotating dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates held in a toroidal trapping potential. The QD dynamics are investigated in the framework of the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which includes long-range dipole-dipole interactions (DDI) and the beyond-mean-field Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, revealing the emergence of self-bound states. Stable stationary solutions for multipole QDs with different values of the topological charge (vorticity $S$) are shaped as necklace-like modes, with the number of \textquotedblleft beads" (multipole's order) $n=2S$, up to $S=6$. The stability area of the multipoles shrinks with the increase of $S$. For higher values of $S$ the centrifugal effect associated with the phase winding destabilizes the annular density and drives the formation of fragmented multipole droplet states. The dependence of the chemical potential, total energy and peak density on the norm (number of particles) and $S$ is produced. These findings uncover the stabilizing effect of the LHY correction and DDI anisotropy in maintaining complex QD states in the non-rotating configurations.

arXiv:2602.09683Feb 10, 20260 citations

Toroidal confinement and beyond: Vorticity-defined morphologies of dipolar Dy 164 quantum droplets

S. Sanjay, S. Saravana Veni, Boris A. Malomed

We investigate the formation, stability, and dynamics of three-dimensional ring-shaped and multipole vortical quantum droplets (QDs) in nonrotating dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates held in a toroidal trapping potential. The QD dynamics are investigated in the framework of the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which includes long-range dipole-dipole interactions (DDIs) and the beyond-mean-field Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, revealing the emergence of self-bound states. Stable stationary solutions for multipole QDs with different values of the topological charge (vorticity S) are shaped as necklacelike modes, with the number of "beads" (multipole order) n=2S, up to S=6. The stability area of the multipoles shrinks with the increase of S. For higher values of S the centrifugal effect associated with the phase winding destabilizes the ring-shaped QDs and drives the formation of fragmented multipole droplet states. The dependence of the chemical potential, total energy, and peak density on the norm (number of particles) and S is produced. These findings uncover the stabilizing effect of the LHY correction and DDI anisotropy in maintaining complex QD states in the nonrotating configurations.We investigate the formation, stability, and dynamics of three-dimensional ring-shaped and multipole vortical quantum droplets (QDs) in nonrotating dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates held in a toroidal trapping potential. The QD dynamics are investigated in the framework of the extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation, which includes long-range dipole-dipole interactions (DDIs) and the beyond-mean-field Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, revealing the emergence of self-bound states. Stable stationary solutions for multipole QDs with different values of the topological charge (vorticity S) are shaped as necklacelike modes, with the number of "beads" (multipole order) n=2S, up to S=6. The stability area of the multipoles shrinks with the increase of S. For higher values of S the centrifugal effect associated with the phase winding destabilizes the ring-shaped QDs and drives the formation of fragmented multipole droplet states. The dependence of the chemical potential, total energy, and peak density on the norm (number of particles) and S is produced. These findings uncover the stabilizing effect of the LHY correction and DDI anisotropy in maintaining complex QD states in the nonrotating configurations.

Physical review. EFeb 9, 20262 citations

A new form of liquid matter: Quantum droplets

Zhihuan Luo, Wei Pang, Bin Liu +2 more

This brief review summarizes recent theoretical and experimental results which predict and establish the existence of quantum droplets (QDs), i.e., robust two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) self-trapped states in Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), which are stabilized by effective self-repulsion induced by quantum fluctuations around the mean-field (MF) states [alias the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) effect]. The basic models are presented, taking special care of the dimension crossover, 2D → 3D. Recently reported experimental results, which exhibit stable 3D and quasi-2D QDs in binary BECs, with the inter-component attraction slightly exceeding the MF self-repulsion in each component, and in single-component condensates of atoms carrying permanent magnetic moments, are presented in some detail. The summary of theoretical results is focused, chiefly, on 3D and quasi-2D QDs with embedded vorticity, as the possibility to stabilize such states is a remarkable prediction. Stable vortex states are presented both for QDs in free space, and for singular but physically relevant 2D modes pulled to the center by the inverse-square potential, with the quantum collapse suppressed by the LHY effect.This brief review summarizes recent theoretical and experimental results which predict and establish the existence of quantum droplets (QDs), i.e., robust two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) self-trapped states in Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), which are stabilized by effective self-repulsion induced by quantum fluctuations around the mean-field (MF) states [alias the Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) effect]. The basic models are presented, taking special care of the dimension crossover, 2D → 3D. Recently reported experimental results, which exhibit stable 3D and quasi-2D QDs in binary BECs, with the inter-component attraction slightly exceeding the MF self-repulsion in each component, and in single-component condensates of atoms carrying permanent magnetic moments, are presented in some detail. The summary of theoretical results is focused, chiefly, on 3D and quasi-2D QDs with embedded vorticity, as the possibility to stabilize such states is a remarkable prediction. Stable vortex states are presented both for QDs in free space, and for singular but physically relevant 2D modes pulled to the center by the inverse-square potential, with the quantum collapse suppressed by the LHY effect.

arXiv:2009.01061Frontiers of PhysicsDec 2, 2020227 citations

S

and winding number

M

of the intrinsic twist, whose product determines the \textit{Hopf number},

Q_{H}=MS

, which is the basic characteristic of the hopfions. We construct hopfions as solutions of the 3D Gross-Pitaevskii equations (GPEs) for Bose-Einstein condensates in binary atomic gases. The GPE system includes the cubic mean-field self-attraction, competing with the quartic self-repulsive Lee-Huang-Yang (LHY) term, which represents effects of quantum fluctuations around the mean-field state, and a trapping toroidal potential (TP). A systematic numerical analysis demonstrates that families of the states with

S=1,M=0

, i.e.,

Q_{H}=0

, are stable, provided that the inner TP\ radius

R_{0}

exceeds a critical value. Furthermore, true hopfions with

S=1,M=1\sim 7

, which correspond, accordingly, to

Q_{H}=1\sim 7

, also form partly stable families, including the case of the LHY\ superfluid, in which the nonlinearity is represented solely by the LHY term. On the other hand, the hopfion family is completely unstable in the absence of the LHY term, when only the mean-field nonlinearity is present. We illustrate the knot-like structure of the hopfions by means of an elementary geometric picture. For

Q_{H}=0

, circles which represent the \textit{preimage} of the full state do not intersect. On the contrary, for

Q_{H}\geq 1

they intersect at points whose number is identical to

Q_{H}

. The intersecting curves form multi-petal structures with the number of petals also equal to

Q_{H}

s

of the vortex-ring core and overall vorticity

m

. The interplay between the LHY self-repulsion and a trapping harmonic-oscillator potential results in stability of the hopfions with

s = 1

and

m

ranging from

0

4

. The hopfions exhibit distinct topological phase distributions along the vertical axis and the radial direction in the horizontal plane. Their effective radius and peak density increase with the chemical potential, along with expansion of the vortex-ring core. Although the instability domain of the hopfion modes broadens with the increase of

m

, stable hopfions persist in a wide range of the chemical potential, up to

m=4

, at least, provided that the norm exceeds a certain threshold value. The predictions are experimentally accessible in currently used BEC setups.

{m}_{1}={m}_{2}=1

{m}_{1}={m}_{2}=2

in their components, are constructed by means of numerical and approximate analytical methods. The analysis reveals stability regions for the vortex droplets (in broad and relatively narrow parameter regions for

{m}_{1,2}=1

and

{m}_{1,2}=2

, respectively). The results provide a scenario for the creation of stable 3D self-trapped states with the double vorticity (

{m}_{1,2}=2

). The stable modes are shaped as flat-top ones, with the space between the inner hole, induced by the vorticity, and the outer boundary filled by a nearly constant density. On the other hand, all modes with hidden vorticity, i.e., topological charges of the two components ${m}_{1}=\ensuremath{-}{m}_{2}=1$, are unstable. The stability of the droplets with

{m}_{1,2}=1

against splitting (which is the main scenario of possible instability) is explained by estimating analytically the energy of the split and unsplit states. The predicted results may be implemented, exploiting dilute quantum droplets in mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates.

Toroidal Confinement and Beyond: Vorticity-Defined Morphologies of Dipolar

^{164}

Dy Quantum Droplets

S

) are shaped as necklace-like modes, with the number of \textquotedblleft beads" (multipole's order)

n=2S

, up to

S=6

. The stability area of the multipoles shrinks with the increase of

S

. For higher values of

S

the centrifugal effect associated with the phase winding destabilizes the annular density and drives the formation of fragmented multipole droplet states. The dependence of the chemical potential, total energy and peak density on the norm (number of particles) and

S

is produced. These findings uncover the stabilizing effect of the LHY correction and DDI anisotropy in maintaining complex QD states in the non-rotating configurations.