Space- and time-crystallization effects in multicomponent superfluids

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that space- and time-crystallization effects in multicomponent superfluids are conceptually simpler than in single-component systems, with absolute periods and observable symmetry breaking in equilibrium samples.

Contribution

It clarifies the conceptual simplicity of space- and time-crystallization in multicomponent superfluids and proposes realistic experimental setups for observation.

Findings

Space- and time-crystallization effects are more straightforward in multicomponent superfluids.

Absolute periods of crystallization can be observed in equilibrium.

Proposed setups include cold atoms and bilayer superconductors.

Abstract

We observe that space- and time-crystallization effects in multicomponent superfluids---while having the same physical origin and mathematical description as in the single-component case---are conceptually much more straightforward. Specifically, the values of the temporal and spatial periods are absolute rather than relative, and the broken translation symmetry in space and/or time can be revealed with experiments involving only one equilibrium sample. We discuss two realistic setups---one with cold atoms and another one with bilayer superconductors---for observation of space and time crystallization in two-component counterflow superfluids.