Controlled spin domain creation by phase separation

TL;DR

This paper presents a versatile optical method for controlled creation of spin domains in spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensates via phase separation, enabling reconfigurable and high-resolution domain structures.

Contribution

The authors introduce a novel optical potential-based technique for creating and controlling spin domains in Bose-Einstein condensates, differing from magnetic field methods.

Findings

Successful creation of spin domains using time-dependent optical potentials.

Domains can be tailored in size and shape, limited only by the spin healing length.

Method demonstrated in double well and periodic potential configurations.

Abstract

We demonstrate a method of controlled creation of spin domains in spin-1 antiferromagnetic Bose-Einstein condensates. The method exploits the phenomenon of phase separation of spin components in an external potential. By using an appropriate time dependent potential, a composition of spin domains can be created, as we demonstrate in the particular cases of a double well and a periodic potential. In contrast to other methods, which rely on spatially inhomogeneous magnetic fields, here the domain structure is completely determined by the optical fields, which makes the method versatile and reconfigurable. It allows for creation of domains of various sizes, with the spatial resolution limited by the spin healing length only.