arXiv:cond-mat/0510618 · Physical Review A
Topological objects in two-component Bose-Einstein condensates
Y. M. Cho, Hyojoong Khim, Pengming Zhang
Abstract
We study the topological objects in two-component Bose-Einstein condensates. We compare two competing theories of two-component Bose-Einstein condensates, the popular Gross-Pitaevskii theory, and the recently proposed gauge theory of two-component Bose-Einstein condensate which has an induced vorticity interaction. We show that two theories produce very similar topological objects, in spite of the obvious differences in dynamics. Furthermore we show that the gauge theory of two-component Bose-Einstein condensates, with the $U(1)$ gauge symmetry, is remarkably similar to the Skyrme theory. Just like the Skyrme theory this theory admits the non-Abelian vortex, the helical vortex, and the vorticity knot. We construct the lightest knot solution in two-component Bose-Einstein condensates numerically, and discuss how the knot can be constructed in the spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ condensate of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms.