Vortex structures of rotating spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper investigates the vortex structures in rotating two-component Bose-Einstein condensates with Rashba spin-orbit coupling, revealing diverse configurations influenced by trap strength and external fields.

Contribution

It introduces analysis of vortex structures in spin-orbit coupled BECs under rotation and external Zeeman fields, highlighting new vortex lattice and domain patterns.

Findings

Strong trap leads to half-quantum vortex-lattice configurations.

External radial Zeeman field can transition the condensate to a normal state.

Weak trap results in multi-domain plane-wave patterns.

Abstract

We consider the quasi-2D two-component Bose-Einstein condensates with Rashba spin-orbit (SO) coupling in a rotating trap. An external Zeeman term favoring spin polarization along the radial direction is also considered, which has the same form as the non-canonical part of the mechanical angular momentum. The rotating condensate exhibits rich structures as varying the strengths of trapping potential and interaction. With a strong trapping potential, the condensate exhibits a half-quantum vortex-lattice configuration. Such a configuration is driven to the normal one by introducing the external radial Zeeman field. In the case of a weak trap potential, the condensate exhibits a multi-domain pattern of plane-wave states under the external radial Zeeman field.