arXiv:cond-mat/0508031 · Physical Review A
Quantum Hall states of atomic Bose gases: Density profiles in single-layer and multilayer geometries
Nigel R. Cooper, F. J. M. van Lankvelt, J. W. Reijnders, Kareljan Schoutens
Abstract
We describe the density profiles of confined atomic Bose gases in the high-rotation limit, in single-layer and multilayer geometries. We show that, in a local-density approximation, the density in a single layer shows a landscape of quantized steps due to the formation of incompressible liquids, which are analogous to fractional quantum Hall liquids for a two-dimensional electron gas in a strong magnetic field. In a multilayered setup we find different phases, depending on the strength of the interlayer tunneling $t$. We discuss the situation where a vortex lattice in the three-dimensional condensate (at large tunneling) undergoes quantum melting at a critical tunneling ${t}_{{c}_{1}}$. For tunneling well below ${t}_{{c}_{1}}$ one expects weakly coupled or isolated layers, each exhibiting a landscape of quantum Hall liquids. After expansion, this gives a radial density distribution with characteristic features (cusps) that provide experimental signatures of the quantum Hall liquids.