Thermal activation of vortex-antivortex pairs in quasi-2D Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates through simulations that two superfluid phases exist in quasi-2D Bose gases, distinguished by the thermal creation of vortex-antivortex pairs, clarifying the phase structure of these systems.

Contribution

It provides the first ab initio simulation evidence for two distinct superfluid phases separated by vortex pair creation in quasi-2D Bose gases.

Findings

Identification of two superfluid phases separated by vortex pairs

Resolution of debate on low-temperature phases of 2D Bose gases

Simulation evidence supporting phase transition mechanisms

Abstract

Here we show, by performing ab initio classical field simulations that two distinct superfluid phases, separated by thermal vortex-antivortex pair creation, exist in experimentally producible quasi-2D Bose gas. These results resolve the debate on the nature of the low temperature phase(s) of a trapped interacting 2D Bose gas.