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Optics Letters

Optical control of vortex lattices and magnetostriction in a confined quantum ferrofluid

Biao Dong, Xiao-fei Zhang, YongChang Zhang

Published Jan 21, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The ability to engineer topological states of matter with light is a central goal of quantum optics. We demonstrate that the anisotropic dipole-dipole interaction (DDI), tunable via optical Feshbach resonances, provides a powerful optical knob for controlling quantized vortices in quantum ferrofluids. We show that DDI-induced magnetostriction, which elongates the atomic cloud, acts as an effective optical lensing effect that reduces the transverse condensate size. This dramatically lowers the critical rotation frequency for vortex nucleation, enabling the formation of vortex lattices at interaction strengths previously inaccessible due to collapse. Our work establishes a general all-optical framework for sculpting topological excitations in magnetic atoms, with implications for quantum simulation and the study of anisotropic quantum turbulence.

DOI
10.1364/ol.581219

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The ability to engineer topological states of matter with light is a central goal of quantum optics. We demonstrate that the anisotropic dipole-dipole interaction (DDI), tunable via optical Feshbach resonances, provides a powerful optical knob for controlling quantized vortices in quantum ferrofluids. We show that DDI-induced magnetostriction, which elongates the atomic cloud, acts as an effective optical lensing effect that reduces the transverse condensate size. This dramatically lowers the critical rotation frequency for vortex nucleation, enabling the formation of vortex lattices at interaction strengths previously inaccessible due to collapse. Our work establishes a general all-optical framework for sculpting topological excitations in magnetic atoms, with implications for quantum simulation and the study of anisotropic quantum turbulence.
The experimental realization of quantum-degenerate Bose gases made of atoms with sizeable magnetic dipole moments has created a new type of fluid, known as a quantum ferrofluid, which combines the extraordinary properties of superfluidity and ferrofluidity. A hallmark of superfluids is that they are constrained to rotate through vortices with quantized circulation. In quantum ferrofluids the long-range dipolar interactions add new ingredients by inducing magnetostriction and instabilities, and also affect the structural properties of vortices and vortex lattices. Here we give a review of the theory of vortices in dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates, exploring the interplay of magnetism with vorticity and contrasting this with the established behaviour in non-dipolar condensates. We cover single vortex solutions, including structure, energy and stability, vortex pairs, including interactions and dynamics, and also vortex lattices. Our discussion is founded on the mean-field theory provided by the dipolar Gross-Pitaevskii equation, ranging from analytic treatments based on the Thomas-Fermi (hydrodynamic) and variational approaches to full numerical simulations. Routes for generating vortices in dipolar condensates are discussed, with particular attention paid to rotating condensates, where surface instabilities drive the nucleation of vortices, and lead to the emergence of rich and varied vortex lattice structures. We also present an outlook, including potential extensions to degenerate Fermi gases, quantum Hall physics, toroidal systems and the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition.
We demonstrate the tuning of the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction (DDI) within a dysprosium Bose-Einstein condensate by rapidly rotating the orientation of the atomic dipoles. The tunability of the dipolar mean-field energy manifests as a modified gas aspect ratio after time-of-flight expansion. We demonstrate that both the magnitude and the sign of the DDI can be tuned using this technique. In particular, we show that a magic rotation angle exists at which the mean-field DDI can be eliminated, and at this angle, we observe that the expansion dynamics of the condensate is close to that predicted for a nondipolar gas. The ability to tune the strength of the DDI opens new avenues toward the creation of exotic soliton and vortex states as well as unusual quantum lattice phases and Weyl superfluids.
Quantized vortices are the prototypical feature of superfluidity. Pervasive in all natural systems, vortices are yet to be observed in dipolar quantum gases. Here, we exploit the anisotropic nature of the dipole-dipole interaction of a dysprosium Bose-Einstein condensate to induce angular symmetry breaking in an otherwise cylindrically symmetric pancake-shaped trap. Tilting the magnetic field towards the radial plane deforms the cloud into an ellipsoid through magnetostriction, which is then set into rotation. At stirring frequencies approaching the radial trap frequency, we observe the generation of dynamically unstable surface excitations, which cause angular momentum to be pumped into the system through vortices. Under continuous rotation, the vortices arrange into a stripe configuration along the field--in close corroboration with simulations--realizing a long sought-after prediction for dipolar vortices.
We study the elementary characteristics of turbulence in a quantum ferrofluid through the context of a dipolar Bose gas condensing from a highly nonequilibrium thermal state. Our simulations reveal that the dipolar interactions drive the emergence of polarized turbulence and density corrugations. The superfluid vortex lines and density fluctuations adopt a columnar or stratified configuration, depending on the sign of the dipolar interactions, with the vortices tending to form in the low-density regions to minimize kinetic energy. When the interactions are dominantly dipolar, the decay of the vortex line length is enhanced, closely following a t−3/2 behavior. This system poses exciting prospects for realizing stratified quantum turbulence and new levels of generating and controlling turbulence using magnetic fields.
We study the elementary characteristics of turbulence in a quantum ferrofluid through the context of a dipolar Bose gas condensing from a highly nonequilibrium thermal state. Our simulations reveal that the dipolar interactions drive the emergence of polarized turbulence and density corrugations. The superfluid vortex lines and density fluctuations adopt a columnar or stratified configuration, depending on the sign of the dipolar interactions, with the vortices tending to form in the low-density regions to minimize kinetic energy. When the interactions are dominantly dipolar, the decay of the vortex line length is enhanced, closely following a t^{-3/2} behavior. This system poses exciting prospects for realizing stratified quantum turbulence and new levels of generating and controlling turbulence using magnetic fields.
We propose and numerically validate an experimentally feasible on-demand protocol for the nucleation and manipulation of stable quantum vortex rings in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates. The method relies on sweeping a laser-sheet barrier that locally constricts the superflow and triggers vortex-ring formation. By tuning the barrier height and width, and by scanning the barrier velocity, we identify the onset of periodic generation of vortex rings above the critical velocity and achieve direct, deterministic control over the ring nucleation position, radius, and hence propagation speed. After its formation, optical potentials are applied to reshape the vortex ring, creating clean Kelvin-wave excitations. Our results provide a foundation for systematic studies of three-dimensional vortices in atomic superfluids and open the door to tailored vortex dynamics and interactions, enabling controlled access to quantum turbulence.