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arXiv:cond-mat/0610187 · Physical Review Letters

Vortex Formation by Merging of Multiple Trapped Bose-Einstein Condensates

David R. Scherer, Chad N. Weiler, Tyler W. Neely, Brian P. Anderson

Published Mar 12, 2007• 209 citations
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Abstract

We report observations of vortex formation by merging and interfering multiple (87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in a confining potential. In this experiment, a single harmonic potential well is partitioned into three sections by a barrier, enabling the simultaneous formation of three independent, uncorrelated BECs. The BECs may either automatically merge together during their growth, or for high-energy barriers, the BECs can be merged together by barrier removal after their formation. Either process may instigate vortex formation in the resulting BEC, depending on the initially indeterminate relative phases of the condensates and the merging rate.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.98.110402

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We report observations of vortex formation by merging and interfering multiple (87)Rb Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in a confining potential. In this experiment, a single harmonic potential well is partitioned into three sections by a barrier, enabling the simultaneous formation of three independent, uncorrelated BECs. The BECs may either automatically merge together during their growth, or for high-energy barriers, the BECs can be merged together by barrier removal after their formation. Either process may instigate vortex formation in the resulting BEC, depending on the initially indeterminate relative phases of the condensates and the merging rate.
An apparatus for producing atomic-gas Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) of 87-Rb atoms is described. The apparatus produces 87-Rb BECs in a dual-chamber vacuum system that incorporates magnetic transport of trapped atoms from the magneto-optical trapping cell to the BEC production cell via the operation of a series of overlapping magnet coils. The design, construction, and operation of the apparatus are described in detail. The apparatus is used to study the creation of quantized vortices in BECs by the merging and interference of multiple trapped condensates. In this experiment, a single harmonic potential well is partitioned into three sections by an optical barrier, enabling the simultaneous formation of three independent, uncorrelated BECs. The BECs may either merge together during their growth, or, for high-energy barriers, the BECs can be merged together by barrier removal after their formation. Either process may instigate vortex formation in the resulting BEC, depending on the initially indeterminate relative phases of the condensates and the merging rate.
We study the formation of vortices in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) that has been prepared by allowing isolated and independent condensed fragments to merge together. We focus on the experimental setup of Scherer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 110402 (2007)], where three BECs are created in a magnetic trap that is segmented into three regions by a repulsive optical potential; the BECs merge together as the optical potential is removed. First, we study the two-dimensional case; in particular, we examine the effects of the relative phases of the different fragments and the removal rate of the optical potential on the vortex formation. We find that many vortices are created by instant removal of the optical potential regardless of relative phases, and that fewer vortices are created if the intensity of the optical potential is gradually ramped down and the condensed fragments gradually merge. In all cases, self-annihilation of vortices of opposite charge is observed. We also find that for sufficiently long barrier ramp times, the initial relative phases between the fragments leave a clear imprint on the resulting topological configuration. Finally, we study the three-dimensional system and the formation of vortex lines and vortex rings due to the merger of the BEC fragments; our results illustrate how the relevant vorticity is manifested for appropriate phase differences, as well as how it may be masked by the planar projections observed experimentally.
The processes of merging and splitting dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensates are studied in the nonadiabatic, high-density regime. Rich dynamics are found. Depending on the experimental parameters, uniform soliton trains containing more than ten solitons or the formation of a high-density bulge as well as dispersive shock waves are observed experimentally within merged BECs. Our numerical simulations indicate the formation of many vortex rings. In the case of splitting a BEC, the transition from sound-wave formation to dispersive shock-wave formation is studied by use of increasingly stronger splitting barriers. These experiments realize prototypical dispersive shock situations.
We study the formation of vortices, vortex necklaces, and vortex ring structures as a result of the interference of higher-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). This study is motivated by earlier theoretical results pertaining to the formation of dark solitons by interfering quasi-one-dimensional BECs, as well as recent experiments demonstrating the formation of vortices by interfering higher-dimensional BECs. Here, we demonstrate the genericness of the relevant scenario, but also highlight a number of additional possibilities emerging in higher-dimensional settings. A relevant example is, e.g., the formation of a ``cage'' of vortex rings surrounding the three-dimensional bulk of the condensed atoms. The effects of the relative phases of the different BEC fragments and the role of damping due to coupling with the thermal cloud are also discussed. Our predictions should be immediately tractable in currently existing experimental BEC setups.