Phase-Sensitive Detection for Unconventional Bose-Einstein Condensations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a phase-sensitive detection method using impulsive Raman operations and time-of-flight imaging to identify the unconventional p_x ± ip_y symmetry in Bose-Einstein condensates, providing clear evidence of nontrivial condensation symmetries.

Contribution

The proposed detection scheme offers a robust way to identify unconventional condensate symmetries in optical lattices, advancing experimental capabilities.

Findings

Successfully distinguishes p_x ± ip_y symmetry in condensates

Robust against interactions and interband effects

Provides definitive evidence for unconventional BECs

Abstract

We propose a phase-sensitive detection scheme to identify the unconventional $p_{x}\pm ip_{y}$ symmetry of the condensate wavefunctions of bosons, which have already been proposed and realized in high bands in optical lattices. Using the impulsive Raman operation combining with time-of-flight imaging, the off-diagonal correlation functions in momentum space give rise to the relative phase information between different components of condensate wavefunctions. This scheme is robust against the interaction and interband effects, and provides smoking gun evidence for unconventional Bose-Einstein condensations with nontrivial condensation symmetries.