Binary quantum droplets and dipolar supersolids

Joseph Smith

Published Jan 1, 2023• 0 citations

Abstract

We consider a binary magnetic gas and develop an extended Gross-Pitaevskii theory to study the system. We apply this theory to the regime where the two- body interactions are attractive for some arrangements of the atoms, and mean- field theory predicts mechanical collapse. In this regime quantum droplets of the binary magnetic gas can emerge, stabilised by quantum fluctuations. These quantum droplets can exist in miscible and immiscible regimes, and we characterise their properties over a broad parameter space. Simplified theories are developed to describe the droplets, and benchmarked against the full numerical calculations. The system dynamics are simulated for scenarios involving droplet formation and crossing the miscible-immiscible transition. Three-body loss is modelled in the dynamical simulations to account for the dominant loss process expected in experiments. We also study the supersolidity of a single-component dipolar gas in an infinite tube potential. An accurate computational algorithm is developed to calculate the ground state of the system in a unit cell. This algorithm is used to determine the phase diagram by characterising the crystalline order and superfluid fraction. Our results reveal that a system confined in a radially harmonic trap has a continuous transition for a range of density values, but is discontinuous for densities above and below this range. The theory is used to calculate the crystalline and supersolid states of a binary magnetic gas in a tube potential.

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