Spontaneous creation of Kibble-Zurek solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate
TL;DR: The Kibble-Zurek mechanism is known to be responsible for the spontaneous creation of solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate as mentioned in this paper, and has been shown to be capable of the spontaneous formation of defects in systems undergoing a second-order phase transition at a finite rate.
Abstract: The Kibble–Zurek mechanism describes the spontaneous formation of defects in systems that are undergoing a second-order phase transition at a finite rate. Familiar to cosmologists and condensed matter physicists, this mechanism is now found to be responsible for the spontaneous creation of solitons in a Bose–Einstein condensate.
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TL;DR: This work explores transverse condensation for an atomic gas confined in a novel trapping geometry, with a flat in-plane bottom, and relates it to the onset of an extended (yet of finite-range) in- plane coherence, and observes topological defects with a mean number satisfying the universal scaling law predicted by Kibble-Zurek mechanism.
Abstract: Interacting quantum many-body systems in low dimensions is an active research area in ultra-cold gases. Here, Chomaz et al. study the dimensional crossover of Bose–Einstein condensation and observe the emergence of phase coherence in an ultra-cold quasi-2D Bose gas confined to a flat-bottom trapping potential.
255 citations
TL;DR: The Kibble-Zurek mechanism as mentioned in this paper was developed to describe the associated nonequilibrium dynamics and to estimate the density of defects as a function of the quench rate through the transition.
Abstract: In the course of a nonequilibrium continuous phase transition, the dynamics ceases to be adiabatic in the vicinity of the critical point as a result of the critical slowing down (the divergence of the relaxation time in the neighborhood of the critical point). This enforces a local choice of the broken symmetry and can lead to the formation of topological defects. The Kibble–Zurek mechanism (KZM) was developed to describe the associated nonequilibrium dynamics and to estimate the density of defects as a function of the quench rate through the transition. During recent years, several new experiments investigated the formation of defects in phase transitions induced by a quench both in classical and quantum mechanical systems. At the same time, some established results were called into question. We review and analyze the Kibble–Zurek mechanism focusing in particular on this surge of activity, and suggest possible directions for further progress.
249 citations
TL;DR: Using homodyne matter-wave interferometry to measure first-order correlation functions, the central quantitative prediction of the Kibble-Zurek theory is verified, namely the homogeneous-system power-law scaling of the coherence length with the quench rate.
Abstract: Kibble-Zurek theory models the dynamics of spontaneous symmetry breaking, which plays an important role in a wide variety of physical contexts, ranging from cosmology to superconductors. We explored these dynamics in a homogeneous system by thermally quenching an atomic gas with short-range interactions through the Bose-Einstein phase transition. Using homodyne matter-wave interferometry to measure first-order correlation functions, we verified the central quantitative prediction of the Kibble-Zurek theory, namely the homogeneous-system power-law scaling of the coherence length with the quench rate. Moreover, we directly confirmed its underlying hypothesis, the freezing of the correlation length near the transition. Our measurements agree with a beyond-mean-field theory and support the expectation that the dynamical critical exponent for this universality class is z = 3 / 2 .
240 citations
TL;DR: It is possible to design and implement dissipationless ''shortcuts'' for quantum systems as discussed by the authors, which is a natural nonequilibrium process that takes a system from one equilibrium state to another in a short time always involves dissipation.
Abstract: A natural nonequilibrium process that takes a system from one equilibrium state to another in a short time always involves dissipation. But, it's actually possible in quantum control to design and implement dissipationless ``shortcuts'' for quantum systems. Scientists add a few concrete practical tools for achieving this goal.
214 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors give an overview of the rapid experimental progress that has been made in the field over the last years and highlight some of the questions which may be explored in the future.
Abstract: The relaxation of isolated quantum many-body systems is a major unsolved problem connecting statistical and quantum physics. Studying such relaxation processes remains a challenge despite considerable efforts. Experimentally, it requires the creation and manipulation of well-controlled and truly isolated quantum systems. In this context, ultracold neutral atoms provide unique opportunities to understand non-equilibrium phenomena because of the large set of available methods to isolate, manipulate and probe these systems. Here, we give an overview of the rapid experimental progress that has been made in the field over the last years and highlight some of the questions which may be explored in the future.
207 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the possible domain structures which can arise in the universe in a spontaneously broken gauge theory are studied, and it is shown that the formation of domain wall, strings or monopoles depends on the homotopy groups of the manifold of degenerate vacua.
Abstract: The possible domain structures which can arise in the universe in a spontaneously broken gauge theory are studied. It is shown that the formation of domain wall, strings or monopoles depends on the homotopy groups of the manifold of degenerate vacua. The subsequent evolution of these structures is investigated. It is argued that while theories generating domain walls can probably be eliminated (because of their unacceptable gravitational effects), a cosmic network of strings may well have been formed and may have had important cosmological effects.
2,994 citations
01 Jan 1986
TL;DR: In this article, the possible domain structures which can arise in the universe in a spontaneously broken gauge theory are studied, and it is shown that the formation of domain wall, strings or monopoles depends on the homotopy groups of the manifold of degenerate vacua.
Abstract: The possible domain structures which can arise in the universe in a spontaneously broken gauge theory are studied. It is shown that the formation of domain wall, strings or monopoles depends on the homotopy groups of the manifold of degenerate vacua. The subsequent evolution of these structures is investigated. It is argued that while theories generating domain walls can probably be eliminated (because of their unacceptable gravitational effects), a cosmic network of strings may well have been formed and may have had important cosmological effects.
2,274 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an analogy between cosmological strings and vortex lines in the superfluid was discussed, and a cryogenic experiment was conducted to test key elements of the cosmology scenario for string formation.
Abstract: Symmetry breaking phase transitions occurring in the early Universe are expected to leave behind long-lived topologically stable structures such as monopoles, strings or domain walls1–6. Here I discuss the analogy between cosmological strings and vortex lines in the superfluid, and suggest a cryogenic experiment which tests key elements of the cosmological scenario for string formation. In a superfluid obtained through a rapid pressure quench, the phase of the Bose condensate wavefunction—the 4He analogue of the broken symmetry of the field-theoretic vacuum—will be chosen randomly in domains of some characteristic size d. When the quench is performed in an annulus of circumference C the typical value of the phase mismatch around the loop will be ∼(C/d)1/2. The resulting phase gradient can foe sufficiently large to cause the superfluid to flow with a measurable (mm s−1), randomly directed velocity.
1,444 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a phase imprinting method was used to create dark solitons in cigar-shaped Bose-Einstein condensates of ∆{87, ∆, rb{Rb}.
Abstract: Dark solitons in cigar-shaped Bose-Einstein condensates of ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ are created by a phase imprinting method. Coherent and dissipative dynamics of the solitons has been observed.
1,138 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the reasons for believing that phase transitions occurred in the very early history of the universe, and the topological structures that may have been generated thereby-in particular, the strings and monopoles.
1,089 citations