Bound States in the Continuum in Spin-Orbit Coupled Atomic Systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman splitting in atomic systems can produce bound states in the continuum that are localized and radiationless, with potential applications in Bose-Einstein condensates.

Contribution

It reveals the existence of BICs in spin-orbit coupled atomic systems, including analytical solutions and their robustness, expanding understanding of localized states in quantum systems.

Findings

BICs can exist within the continuum spectrum in spin-orbit coupled systems.

Some BICs are analytically solvable and physically robust.

BICs can be excited in Bose-Einstein condensates with long lifetimes.

Abstract

We show that the interplay between spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman splitting in atomic systems can lead to the existence of bound states in the continuum (BICs) supported by trapping potentials. Such states have energies falling well within the continuum spectrum, but nevertheless they are localized and fully radiationless. We report the existence of BICs, in some cases in exact analytical form, in systems with tunable spin-orbit coupling and show that the phenomenon is physically robust. We also found that BIC states may be excited in spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates, where under suitable conditions they may be metastable with remarkably long lifetimes.