Giant vortices in rotating electron droplets

TL;DR

This paper predicts the formation of giant vortices in rapidly rotating, quasi-two-dimensional quantum dots under high magnetic fields, showing analogous behavior to Bose-Einstein condensates and potential measurable signatures.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of giant vortices in electron droplets within quantum dots and analyzes their formation conditions and internal structure.

Findings

Giant vortices form in high magnetic field quantum dots.

Vortices accumulate at the center, creating large cores.

Measurable signatures appear in ground-state energetics.

Abstract

We predict the formation of giant vortices in quasi-two-dimensional quantum dots at high magnetic fields, i.e., in rapidly rotating electron droplets. Our numerical results of quantum dots confined by a flat, anharmonic potential show ground states where vortices are accumulated in the center of the dot, thereby leading to large cores in the electron and current densities. The phenomenon is analogous to what was recently found in rotating Bose-Einstein condensates. The giant-vortex states leave measurable signatures in the ground-state energetics. The conditions for the giant-vortex formation as well as the internal structure of the vortex cores are discussed.