Spin-orbit-coupling-induced phase separation in trapped Bose gases

TL;DR

This paper investigates how two-dimensional spin-orbit coupling causes unconventional phase separation in trapped spin-1/2 Bose-Einstein condensates, revealing the underlying mechanism and differences between Rashba and anisotropic couplings.

Contribution

It uncovers the physical mechanism behind spin-orbit-coupling-induced phase separation and analyzes its features and dynamics in trapped Bose gases.

Findings

Spin-orbit coupling induces spatial separation of components.

Differences between Rashba and anisotropic couplings are characterized.

An adiabatic splitting dynamics is proposed for applications.

Abstract

In a trapped spin-1/2 Bose-Einstein condensate with miscible interactions, a two-dimensional spin-orbit coupling can introduce an unconventional spatial separation between the two components. We reveal the physical mechanism of such a spin-orbit-coupling-induced phase separation. Detailed features of the phase separation are identified in a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate. We further analyze differences of phase separation in Rashba and anisotropic spin-orbit-coupled Bose gases. An adiabatic splitting dynamics is proposed as an application of the phase separation.