Spin-orbit coupled weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensates in harmonic traps

TL;DR

This paper theoretically explores the phase diagram of a spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensate in 2D harmonic traps, revealing Landau levels and skyrmion lattice phases that can be experimentally observed.

Contribution

It introduces the emergence of skyrmion lattice phases and Landau levels in weakly interacting spin-orbit coupled Bose gases within harmonic traps, providing new insights into their quantum states.

Findings

Landau levels develop at strong spin-orbit coupling

Skyrmion lattice patterns emerge in weakly interacting gases

Phases preserve parity or combined parity-time-reversal symmetry

Abstract

We investigate theoretically the phase diagram of a spin-orbit coupled Bose gas in two-dimensional harmonic traps. We show that discrete Landau levels develop at strong spin-orbit coupling. For a weakly interacting gas, quantum states with skyrmion lattice patterns emerge spontaneously and preserve either parity symmetry or combined parity-time-reversal symmetry. These phases can be readily observed by experimentally engineering spin-orbit coupling and interatomic interactions for a cloud of $^{87}$Rb atoms in a highly oblate trap.