Supersonic optical tunnels for Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to stabilize multiple vortex rings in Bose-Einstein condensates using hollow laser beams with optical vortices, and explores sonic horizons for analogue gravity experiments.

Contribution

It presents a novel stabilization technique for vortex rings in BECs and demonstrates the creation of sonic horizons within condensate tunnels.

Findings

Stabilizes up to 9 vortex rings using optical vortices.

Creates supersonic flow in condensate tunnels with hump potentials.

Identifies long-lived solitons with sonic horizons for analogue gravity.

Abstract

We propose a method for the stabilisation of a stack of parallel vortex rings in a Bose-Einstein condensate. The method makes use of a hollow laser beam containing an optical vortex. Using realistic experimental parameters we demonstrate numerically that our method can stabilise up to 9 vortex rings. Furthermore we point out that the condensate flow through the tunnel formed by the core of the optical vortex can be made supersonic by inserting a laser-generated hump potential. We show that long-living immobile condensate solitons generated in the tunnel exhibit sonic horizons. Finally, we discuss prospects of using these solitons for analogue gravity experiments.