# On quantum time crystals and interacting gauge theories in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates

## TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that a Bose-Einstein condensate on a ring governed by an interacting gauge theory can host a rotating chiral bright soliton, effectively realizing a time crystal with unidirectional motion due to current nonlinearity.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel realization of a time crystal in a BEC system governed by an interacting gauge theory with current nonlinearity.

## Key findings

- Existence of a rotating chiral bright soliton as a ground state.
- The soliton's unidirectional motion constrained by current nonlinearity.
- Realization of a time crystal in a BEC system.

## Abstract

We study the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped circumferentially on a ring, and which is governed by an interacting gauge theory. We show that the associated density-dependent gauge potential and concomitant current nonlinearity permits a ground state in the form of a rotating chiral bright soliton. This chiral soliton is constrained to move in one direction by virtue of the current nonlinearity, and represents a time crystal in the same vein as Wilczek's original proposal.