Vortex Tiling in a Spin-2 Spinor Bose-Einstein Condensate

TL;DR

This paper predicts a novel vortex core structure in spin-2 Bose-Einstein condensates, revealing how internal spin symmetries manifest at the vortex core due to topological constraints, without requiring spin-orbit coupling.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of vortex tiling, showing how internal spin symmetry appears at the core of fractional vortices in spinor BECs, a new insight into topological defect structures.

Findings

Prediction of non-circular vortex cores in spin-2 condensates

Demonstration of internal spin symmetry manifestation at vortex cores

Application to cyclic order parameter in $^{87}$Rb condensates

Abstract

We point out that the internal spin symmetry of the order parameter manifests itself at the core of a fractional vortex in real space without spin-orbit coupling. Such symmetry breaking arises from a topological constraint and the commensurability between spin symmetries of the order parameters inside and outside the core. Our prediction can be applied to probe the cyclic order parameter in a rotating spin-2 $^{87}$Rb condensate as a non-circular vortex core in a biaxial nematic state.